MR. FRASER AND THE HUNTLY MINERS

Chronicle (Levin), 12 September 1946, Page 8

MR. FRASER AND THE HUNTLY MINERS

-Press Association

By Telegraph—

WELLINGTON, Hept. 11; In the House today, the Prinie Allnister, replying to Mr. W. A. Sheat (Putea), who asked whether any noticeable improvcnient had followed Mr. Fraser's recent appeal to the Huntly miner.s ti* produce inore coal "at least unlil at'ter the election," said Mr. Slieat was under a misapprehension in regard to the nature of tlie appeal iflitde to the Waikato miners. "There was no request tliat the suggested increase in coal production hould be up to the general election," said Mr. Praser. "Ko such limit was set in my reniarks. The appeal was for increased production on the already good output, for the purpose of helping tlie country and its industries. The period of time which has elapsed since 1 visited Huntly is not long enough to record the definite production trend. Production fluctuates from month to month and the only reliable guide would be tonnage figures ov'er a period of six to twelve months. A slight increase in production ha£, however, been recorded over the last seven weeks in comparison with the similar previous period. ' ' In the discussion which followed Mr. Fraser's replv to Mr. Slieat, Mr. Frascr said that lie would not be surprised to see the recommendations of Ihe 1918 Coalmines Commission on the National Party's manifesto. These recommendations, lie said, included the nationalisation of mines and the estab lishnient of a shipping line to transport coal. " Mr. E. B. Corbett (Egmont.) said that increased production by Huntly miners had not been noticed by housewives or by the railways. He asked if the Government could not do something to allav the feeling between the miners and the rost of tlie community in regard to their claims. The fact that tlieir demands were not. being met miglit be responsible for absenteeism in the mines and consequent deeline in production. The Government itself was

not blameless and should take some action to obtain tinality in tlie matter of a review of the miners' claims. Mr. Webb said that an increase m coal production had taken place on tne West Coast as tlie result of tlie Prime Minister's appeal to the miners and he added that every undertakiug entereu into between the Waikato mine owners and the Government had been honoured. The miners had done a good job, "and to use an old phase, the people of New Zealand should take their hats off to them," he said. The miners appreciated the neeessity for more coal and if there were more harmony prevailmg among the miners, owners and managers, lie believed there would be an even greater production of coal.