MEETING BOYCOTTED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 April 1940, Page 6

MEETING BOYCOTTED

FEDERAL PRIME MINISTER & COAL STRIKERS MR MENZIES DEFINES ISSUES. BETRAYAL OF TRUE INTERESTS OF AUSTRALIA. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. SYDNEY. April 20. The coal miners’ officials organised and carried out a boycott of the Federal Prime Minister’s meeting at Kurri today. Instead the miners followed their leaders to the local sportsground where they listened to addresses on the need for solidarity. Mr Menzies, however, took the platform at thejocal School of Arts where upwards of two thousand private citizens and business men gave him a rousing reception. Mr Menzies mentioned that pressure had been brought on the chairman preventing him from presiding at his meeting. Ho expressed regret that the miners had seen fit to boycott his address in a district which hitherto had been traditionally loyal. He emphasised that he had not come to make threats but merely to appeal to the miners to appreciate their responsibilities in the most crucial time in the Empire’s histroy and determine to put the things that really matter first. Mr Menzies compared the lot of the men in. action in Norway. France and elsewhere with conditions which the coal miners sought to bring about here and declared that a coal strike in the present circumstances was a betrayal of the true interests of Australia. He told the meeting he was prepared to accept the miners’ challenge which was tantamount to a defiance of the Commonwealth Government. He said he would go to the Sports ground and seek to deliver the address which he had intended to deliver at Kurri and he left the hall amid prolonged cheering. ADDRESS TO MINERS “INTERESTING AFTERNOON.” (Received This Day, 9.50 a.m.) SYDNEY. This Day. Upon his arrival at the Kurri sports ground, where 3000 strikers were gathered, .Mr Menzies was forced to wait until the miners’ leaders had finished their speeches before he could obtain a hearing. He was considerably heckled, but was able to explain that he came with no threats. He then continued along the lines of his address at the earlier meeting, when he urged the men to have recourse to the Arbitration Court. When asked what the Government intended to do in the event of the strike being prolonged for a couple of months, Mr Menzies told the inquirer: “We have done a lot of thinking and have got a clear mind upon it.” The miners passed a resolution repudiating threats by the Federal and State Governments and pledging loyalty to their leaders and determination to carry the fight to a successful conclusion.

Mr Menzies left the scene, saying he had had quite an interesting afternoon.