MINERS TO CONTINUE STRIKE

Chronicle (Levin), 31 March 1947, Page 4

MINERS TO CONTINUE STRIKE

MR. FRASER'S AFPEAL HAS NO EFFECT AUCKLAND, March 30. About 500 nttfters, at a filass meeting in the Himtly Town Hall this morning, decided almost unanimously to continUe the strike which involves every important coal mine in the Waikato district. The seven underground and four opoucast mines will he idle again tOmOfroW, hut there is a hint that Government intervention in the dispute may oecUf at any time. The Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, is understood to have sent a telegrani to the union executive yesterday stating

that unless the men returned to wdlk immediately there would he no special ttaihs at Easter. v It is helieved that the executiVe, after today 's 'meeting, advised Mr. Fraser that the men had decided to siay on strike. After soitne days of deliheration o'ver tlie dispute, during which no develdpments were announced, the uniott's executive decided yesterday morning to call a mass meeting. The faet that it was called for today and not tomorrow as originally intended was taken as a hopeful sigh that the men would he back at work tomorrow morning. HoWevdr, When they met they only reaffirmed the decision they took last week. A special train was run this morning to bring miners from Glen Aftoa and intermediate statioUs to the meeting and buses brought unionists from other centres. The estimated attendance of ahout 500 was well heldw the Union strength of ahout 1400, but it is Understood that each hranch was represented, Doorkeepers at the hail saw that only union memhers pasSed through. The only Government representative present was MT. A. C. Baxter, M.P. for Raglan. The idleness of the mines tomorrow will mean aii additional loss of about 3800 tons of coal to hard-presSed essen tial serviees and industries. This Will bring the total of lost production sinca Moiiday to over 16,000 tons. By tomOrroW the total payroll of the men on Strike will have dropped by aboUt £10,000. •