WAIKATO STRIKE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 September 1942, Page 3

WAIKATO STRIKE

MINES TO BE OPENED TODAY NATIONALISATION PROPOSAL. NO STATEMENT BY PREMIER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The following statement was broadcast last night 1 : “It is announced from Huntly that the Waikato mines will be opened tomorrow morning for the resumption of work, and all members of the Northern Miners’ Union are requested to act in accordance with the decision of the majority at yesterday’s meeting and resume work.” Asked last night if he had any comment to make on the mining situation in the Waikato, including the proposal that the Government should take over the control of the mines, the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, stated that he had no statement to make.

DIRECT NEGOTIATION OF GOVERNMENT’S DECLARED INTENTION. PROTEST BY MANUFACTURERS’ PRESIDENT. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. “■When the Acting Prime Minister sought public support for any firm action the Government might find it necessary to take in accepting the challenge to constitutional government by the Waikato miners the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation offered its fullest co-operation,” said Mr C. V. Smith, president of the federation, last night. In order to support the stand for constitutional Government it was known it might be necessary to make sacrifices, continued Mr Smith. These the manufacturers were prepared to make to enable the Government to carry out its intention. The present proposals for settlement, however, were a direct negation of the Government’s declared intention and regardless of the issue at stake could not be supported by the federation. Apart altogether from the rights or wrongs of the miners’ complaints, the federation maintained that there was a definite principle involved, namely, the right of any section of the public to flout constitutional authority, and if such conduct could be condoned in the case of one section of the public it could not be denied to any other section ,thus resulting in a set of conditions similar to those existing in prewar France. “TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE” DUNEDIN RESOLUTIONS. (By Teleeraph—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, September 22. Resolutions protesting against the methods adopted by the Government in dealing with the Waikato miners were carried today by the Dunedin Manufacturers’ Association and the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce. The motion passed by the manufacturers’ association stated that if dictation by the miners in respect to nationalisation of the industry was tolerated or condoned by the War Cabinet it would make a travesty of law and order and would seriously undermine the co-ordinated war effort. The chamber of commerce resolution, after protesting against the proposed nationalisation of the mines as a bribe to the miners to resume work, adds: “This proposed surrender by the Government will have a detrimental effect on all industries engaged in war production. We also protest against the Government’s interference in the decisions of a court of justice.” NATIONAL PARTY CAUCUS CALLED FOR NEXT WEEK. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) VZELLINGTON, This Day. Parliamentary members of the National Party were advised in telegrams sent out yesterday by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Holland, to hold themselves in readiness to come to Wellington next week for a special caucus to discuss developments arising out of the mining stoppage in the Waikato. Mr Holland said in an interview last night that the caucus would probably be held on Tuesday night. It had been called to consider the situation involved in the proposal that the Government should take over control of the Waikato mines.