WAIKATO STRIKE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 15 October 1942, Page 4

WAIKATO STRIKE

GOVERNMENT’S ACTION DEFENDED BY PRIME MINISTER MR HOLLAND'S A I I ITI DE CRITICISED Wellington, Tin Day.; In referring m the House of Reprc 1 sentatives last night to the charges made against the Waikato coal mine .strikers. Mr Fraser sail they had been misled by a few. and under that mi leadership the magistrate did not haw a chance. Although he did his best to avoid the passing of the sentence the outlook of the magistrate was the outlook of the Government and the ma jority of members of the War Cabinet. It was the outlook also of the majority of the people of New Zealand. No member of the Opposition would get up and say he wanted to see 180 men sent to gaol. It would not have stoplied at that number. Another 800 or 1000 men would have had to face the same charge. Mr (Fraser said Hie derision was arrived at on the Friday night. The men were sentenced on the Saturday. The Minister of Industrial Manpower, Mr McLagan, had said he was associated closely with the miners and he would endeavour to get the men back. "1 thought it much better to get them back than to put them in gaoJ.” he continued. “I take full responsibility for the stop of asking that the operation of the sentences be suspended until another effort was made to get the men to see reason. Surely we would do that for any section of the community.” Tiie Government had acted in a constitutional manner and according to precedent well established in New Zealand and other countries. The men were not criminals. They were citizens who for the time being had done something wrong, but who must be treated like ordinary human beings. Their families had to be thought about. They had sons at the front fighting alongside the sons of members and Members of the House. They did not want to outlaw a section of people who w<re temporarily misled. They wanted to win them back for a better effort. Mr Fraser said that when he arrived in Wellington on his return from Washington he had consulted members of the War Cabinet and brought down proposals to the War Administration The first proposal was that the men should resume work unconditionally, and the dispute go to the Disputes Committee unconditionally. It was also proposed that the Waikato coal mines should be a controlled industry. There was no word said of nationalisation, i but that the control should be for the period of the war and that there should be uninterrupted work, the owner and workers being safeguarded. The ballot was taken, the men went back to work, and the dispute went to a Disputes Committee, and there had then been negotiations culminating in the agreement with the mine owners. Representatives of the mine owners and the national organisation had agreed to every step in the control regulations, with exception of one Nationalist voice, under duress. Mr Fraser said the one point was the casting vote being given to the Minister of Mines, but at gome point it was necessary for some person to have a casting vote, and he thought the arrangement was going to be successful. Mr S. G. Holland (Leader of the Opposition) had said that he could not see his way to agree to the proposals. He felt he had to leave but that was not a final leaving because he sat for two or three days afterwards with the committee. He walked out when the vote was taken, to allow the decision to be unanimous. He said he was the odd man out and had better leave. Mr Fraser said his reply was that he had no objection. Mr Holland had considered that by walking out he was serving the best interests of the country, instead of remaining in and voting for his convictions. Mr Holland: “That is not fair.” Mr Fraser: "If it is unfair 1 will withdraw.” Government voices: “It is true." Mr Fraser said if it was Mr Hoi land's duty to allow others to come lo a unanimous decision without his voice in dissent, everybody else voted in favour of the proposals. It there had been any better solution they would have voted for it. Mr W. A. Bodkin «.National. Central Otago) said lie wired from Stratford to say he was opposed to the proposaTs.