MINERS STRIKE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 March 1943, Page 3

MINERS STRIKE

IN NEW SOUTH WALES PITS STRONG PROTEST BY FEDERAL PREMIER. SECURITY OF COMMONWEALTH AFFECTED. j . (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) SYDNEY, March 11. Strikes in New South Wales coal mines on Wednesday caused the loss of substantial amounts of coal. In Canberra, the Federal Premier (Mr Curtin) said he was considering declaring all stoppages of work unlawful. He had learned of the coal stoppages with “great distress and bitter disappointment.” The Central Council of the Miners’ Federation has ordered the striking miners to return to work. The council expressed alarm at the stoppages and added that “it cannot accept this position in view of the urgent need for the defeat of Fascism and the security of this country.” Mr Curtin declared that: “Labour stoppages do infinite mischief to Australia’s capacity to wage war. They affect the security of the Commonwealth without in any way contributing towards the rectification of grievances which are said to exist. No man in Australia has a right to stop work when this Parliament has devised machinery for settling his grievances. I know of no grievance in any industry in Australia today which is so substantial in character as to make it imperative that any man should strike to achieve reform. I know there are interests in this country which do not like this Government and. are anxious to foment industrial trouble. I am not able at this stage to find remedies for this sort of thing—it happens in other countries. But Australia’s coal production in January and February exceeded that for the corresponding months of last year.”