BRIEF ADJOURNMENT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 September 1942, Page 3

BRIEF ADJOURNMENT

CHARGES AGAINST HUNTLV

MINERS

ADMISSION OF “TECHNICAL

BREACH.”

MAGISTRATE EMPHASISES GRAVITY OF POSITION.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) HAMILTON, September 17,

Today 196 miners were prosecuted by the Labour Department in the Magistrate’s Court, Huntly, before Mr W. H. Freeman, S.M., on charges of being parties to a strike contrary to the provisions of the Strike and Lock-out Emergency Regulations, 1939. The Crown Prosecutor, Mr V. R. Meredith, appeared for the department, and Mr W. J. King for the miners. Mi’ King said the majority of the men were prepared to plead guilty to a technical breach, but he asked that the charges against the boys be withdrawn. However, admission of a technical breach should not be construed as meaning that the men were the guilty parties to the mining impasse. Counsel asked for an adjournment to assist in the settlement of the dispute. Mr Meredith objected to an adjournment. Ample machinery was available for a settlement, and the situation was too grave to permit any further delay. The magistrate refused an adjournment, saying: “The position today is too grave. Coal production in this Dominion is vital. We want more and more coal.”

Mr King then asked that no penalty be imposed at present. Every man concerned desired to return to work.

Mr Meredith replied that authority had been greatly inconvenienced and embarrassed. It was needless to stress the imperative and desperate importance of a commodity on which depended the transport industry and other aspects of the economic life of the community. The Dominion was engaged in a life-and-death struggle and the delay in coal production endangered the war effort.

Mr Freeman: “Am I to understand that the men are prepared to go back immediately to work ”

Mr King: “I cannot say that, but they are most anxious to meet and have the dispute settled.”

He suggested that the penalty be suspended for a month. The men had admitted their fault and were willing to accept their punishment. The magistrate adjourned the Court till 2 p.m., but after a further extension till 3 o'clock, Mr King announced 'that he regretted he was unable to give an assurance.

After a brief deliberation the magistrate adjourned the hearing until 10 o’clock on Friday morning.

DISASTER TO UNION STATEMENT BY NATIONAL MINERS’ COUNCIL. WAIKATO MEN URGED TO RESUME. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WESTPORT, September 17. A special meeting of the National Council of the United Mine Workers was held in Westport today to consider the position in the Waikato and also to take part in the district agreements conference. It was decided “to request the Waikato miners to resume work immediately as required by the rules of the United Mine Workers as every consideration of the miners’ interests is at stake.

"The present strike leads to disaster to our members and our union and the whole Labour movement. We urge you to accept this advice in your own best interests and the dispute can then be settled by the national disputes committee as recommended to the executive. We feel sure that th'e other branches of the United Mine Workers will endorse this recommendation to the Waikato miners and will continue to act in accordance with the wishes of their national organisation.” The above statement was handed to the Press by the national secretary, Mr Jack Devlin.

DENIAL BY OWNERS NO ATTACK ON MINIMUM WAGE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, September 17. A denial of the suggestion that the Waikato coal strike was the result of an attempt by the New Zealand Coal Mine Owners’ Association to abolish the minimum wage clause in the agreement has been made by Mr C. C. Davis, the association’s president. “Statements are being circulated that the strike is the result of an attempt by the owners’ association to abolish the make-up or minimum wage clause in the agreement,” he said. “I wish to make an emphatic denial of this. No suggestion to this effect has ever been made tp the association, nor has it ever been discussed in any shape or form. As a matter of fact the present Waikato strike had started before the association aware that any dispute existed. “The matter is, of course, now entirely in the Government's hands, but I can say that the Waikato mines are ready to renew work immediately the men return. They have been ready to do so each day since the dispute arose.”

ALMOST EXHAUSTED COAL STOCKS OF TARANAKI DAIRY FACTORIES. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) NEW PLYMOUTH, September 17. The plight of Taranaki dairy factories as a result of the shortage of coal has become serious, and it was expected that by completion of the days work today at least three companies would have exhausted their supplies. Urgent representations had been made to the Minister of Marketing, Mr Barclay, to the Dairy Board and to the Oil Fuel Controller by the Federation of Taranaki Dairy Factories, and the replies indicate that every effort is being made to give relief where it is most needed. , A survey of factory stocks made by the federation at the request of the Dairy Board shows that, in addition to the factories whose supplies have been exhausted, about eight companies have only sufficient coal to meet iheir needs for three or four days. It is possible that by using wood and what coal they can obtain they can operate for a day or. two more, but nofor longer. Every effort is being made to obtain firewood, but the ftderation states that the absence o wood near at hand is creating a problem which is aggravated by -the shortage of manpower and the road transport restrictions.