PREMIER’S ADVICE

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2951, 20 October 1925, Page 3

PREMIER’S ADVICE

“GET BACK TO THE SHIPS.”

Dargaville, October 18. The Prime Alinister knows more about the shipping strike than he cares to reveal at present, hut he had some more to say about it at a meeting of his constituents last night. Referring to his own part in the negotiations, Air. Coates said he had refused to intervene without first meeting the parties personally. On his way through Wellington from the South Island he had met representatives of the seamen. “I said to them,” said Air. Coates, “ ‘Look here, go back and tell your chaps to go aboard their ships. Wfe must get the ships away.’ They replied: ‘We’d like to.’ I said to them: ‘We did our best to get you a fair spin before your own tribunal. Take the ships home and get the matter settled properly.’ ” “Now,” he continued, “I want to know why the Labour Party did not say to the British seamen, ‘Hop aboard your ships and get to work

again.’ ” A voice: What did you say 7 to the shipowners They are at the bottom of everything.

Mr Coates: I would say to both sides,’ “You fellows have signed a contract, go and finish it. Settle your own differences before your own tribunal 1”

Another voice: Would y*ou work for £9 a month? All*. Coates: That gentleman is interested in things that don’t concern us. The men have their own Alaritime Board and representatives on it. Some people think we in New Zealand could dictate to a country twenty times our size, and that such things can be settled by a stroke of the pen. We say to the men, “Go and settle it over on the other side.” Air. Coates accused the Labour Party of hedging on the subject of the strike. They, as leaders of public thought, should have told the men to go back to work. “The ships are going to move,” concluded Air. Coates, “find so far as that is concerned the Government, will offer every protection to the men who come forward as a natural duty* to do what is required.

Later a questioner asked whether the Government proposed to introduce legislation for the deportation of undesirables. Strikers, lie said, had been influenced by* half-a-dozen men on tlie waterfront.

Air. Coates: Yon may be right, I know the whole question, but at the present time it is not desirable I should say all I know. As far as legislation is concerned, none is needed. The Government has all the powers it requires. We can’t allow a small minority to dictate to the Government, We say to such people: “If you come here and don’t do your duty as citizens, you can go back to your country of origin as quick as you like.”