MINERS WHO STRUCK

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3086, 17 May 1917, Page 7

MINERS WHO STRUCK

DUE FOR MILITARY SERVICE 'QUESTION TO BE DECIDED ■-men the officials-of ! tbte Miners' ; federation were in Wellington, one of the concessions they were most anxious ■to wring from .the Government was that the miners who'had been called up in the ballot and granted exemption by the Military Son-ice Boards conditionally upon-their remaining diligently at work, ehould not bo mado to.servo iJn the army because of their part in the .strikes which took place after tho agreement mado with Ministers for tho ending of the so-called anti-oonscription strike. Clearly these men had not observed the conditions on which exemption was .Granted to them, and thoy had become liable to be sent into camp. Thu cases of some of these men hare-since feeen reviewed-by the Military Service ffloard, and their appeals have been •dismissed. These men 'have to report now for ; medioal inspection, and those ttho are olassed as fit become soldiers .liable to bo sent into camp forthwith. The Minister refused. to mako any agreement with the officials- of the Federation to i-aivo the right of tlio military to take thoso men, and the order now is that they; must come up ' for medical inspection just liko any ■ ordinary unprivileged citizen. No de- ■ cision is announced as to what is to 'happen, to the men after they hare reported,-Imt they bave been, given no reason.to hope that they will bo allow■■ed to go free; ■ The Minister maytako no further action, in which caso tho moil will proceed to camp. 'As, bowever, it is essential that the coal mines shall be kept working at maximum capacity, the Minister may take some action hy which the men. may be l al- • lowed to go ;backto work, possibly as : soldiers, subject to military control if ■ cbotrol.should, be necessary, hut wider Orders to go on working: as-coal-miners. The miners who -offended in the anti- ' conscription strike do not-come luidor this arrangement, because it was agreed that their exemption should not ■ta withdrawn. It applies to the balloc- . Ed-men who struck in tho State mino and at Blackball nfter the-first strike had been'.called off. • . ..'