A COAL CLIMAX

Hokitika Guardian, 11 May 1921, Page 2

A COAL CLIMAX

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. GRAVE DEVELOPMENT. LONDON, May 9. According to the “Daily Chronicle'’ there is a grave development in the coal crisis. It is due to a threat by the dockers and the railwaymen to refuse to handle any sea-borne coal. These sea-borne supplies do not necessarily come from foreign sources. As a. matter of fact, the trouble commenced yesterday with a Welsh cargo in Glasgow harbour. It remains to be seen whether the Transport Workers’ Federation • Executive, when it meets to-day, will endorse the sectional action. The dock workers and railwaymen have been in informed that their refusal to handle coal is contrary to instructions from their own executives.

The dockers and railway, however, assert that they cannot discriminate between the commercial coal and the coal for public utility service.

SUGGESTED EFFECT. LONDON, May 10. It is suggested that the railwaymen and dockers refusing to handle sealwrne coal are -extremists that are being encouraged by the outbreak among the > reservists at Aldershot, summoned to military service.

MOBILIZE THE NATION. (Received This Day at 8.40 a.m.) LONDON, May 10,

The coal situation has reached such an acute stage that the Australian Press Association learns on high authority that it may be necessary to mobilise tli'o nation within seventy-two hours to cope with the position.

HON W. CHURCHILL,

RECOGNISES SERIOUSNESS OF

POSITION

(Received This Day at 9.45 a.m.) LONDON, May 10. At the luncheon tendered to W. N. McPherson, the Victoria;. Treasurer at Stationer’s Hall, Hon W. Churchill in proposing the health of the guest, dealt with the seriousness of the coal position which it was clear could not continue indefinitely. The streets of the great .industrial centres were crowded with workless people. It was a melancholj situation. Our rivals and late enemies and even our friends, were actively pressing forward to take advantage of Britain’s follies. Even the coal necessary to maintain the life-of our great cities, was now menaced and made the object of continuous attack. He was confident that a good outcome would be reached for all the parties eventually, hut we are at a bad point at the present moment, calling for an effort similar to those when our lives were menaced in 1914. The community is greater than any section, and cannot be ruled by any section. • The nation must assert itself, but when it has asserted itself it must show it does not wish to triumph over any section. We remember the part the miners took in the war and no yindiotive triumph should enter into the settlement;.