COAL TROUBLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 September 1923, Page 3

COAL TROUBLE.

I ,AB( H'R 1! F.SO L UTION. [I!Y TF.I.KO ItACU —I’Kll PRESS association.] AUCKLAND, Sept. 20. At the Trades Hall a large gathering of Trade Union and Labour Parly representatives including all the local labour members, was addressed by Air Holland, ALL’., who detailed the events which led up to the present position at the coal mines on the AAest Coast. Hie opinion was expressed that the attitude adopted by the coal mine owner., was actuated by political rather than industrial motives in an endeavour to discredit the labour movement generally in view of the uncertainty of the political situation and the possibility of an early general election. It was further suggested that the way out of the difficulty was for the Government to give immediate effect to the recommendations contained in the Industries Committee’s report unanimously adopted'by Parliament in 1919 and since shelved. The following resolution was unanimously carried: “This meeting ot representatives ot the industrial and political organisations of labour in Auckland emphatically protests against the action of the coal mine in dosing down the mines on the Most Const, thereby precipitating the possibility of a coal famine. AYe urge that prosecutions should be immediately instituted against the mine owners who have created a lockout. AYe further recommend that Labour Organisations, in the event of the lockout continuing, t„ take steps to render financial and other assistance to the locked out miners,! h°i I iviros mid families.”