The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 1898.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 22, 27 January 1898, Page 4

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 1898.

For tho cause that lacks assistance, For tho wrong that needs resistance, For the future in tho distance, And tho good that we can do.

MINING MATTERS

The present visit of the Minister of Mines to the goldfields is particularly opportune. The mining community, mine-holders and mine-workers included, is greatly exercised over the results of our recent legislation and the effects the latter is likely to have on the future of the industry and those interested in it; and Mr Cadmau as the author of that legislation is naturally looked to for counsel and assistance in the matter. ' Our readers are already pretty conversant with the main issues that have been raised, both from the employees* and Ihe employers' point of view, and it' they have studied the situation with minds clear of prejudice they must be aware that a fair solution of the difficulties is not at all so easy to arrive at as some people glibly assure us. impartial presentations of the position or of any

point involved in it are rare, simply because those who are sufficiently interested to thoroughly examine the questions are almost certain to be prejudiced beforehand in favour of one conclusion. In those matters where

the interests of workmen and their

employers cross there is apt to be on both sides an exaggerative estimate of

their respective rights. The men, on the one hand, are often unduly suspicious of the masters, and give the latter credit, for being influenced only by motives of selfish gain, while, the masters are equally ready to represent any demand on the part of the men, or.the action of any legislation passed in protection of the interests of the men, as calculated to entirely ruin them and the industry affected by it.

In the matter of Sunday work on the gold fields we have an instance of the great diversity of opinion which a diversity of interests may lead people to hold, and probably to hold in all honesty. We have of late published several letters on the effect, of the recent legislation to prevent the unne-

cessary employment of manual labour in mines on Sundays. By the interpretation of the Act which the Court has adopted, a large number of miners have been thrown out of work, and the employers assert that so long as that, interpretation is upheld there is no chance of their being reinstated in their positions, while it is implied that the companies which lately employed them will also suffer by the shortening' of hands. Yet there appears to be no doubt that the interpretation was the one intended to be put on the Act by the trainers of the measure. Mr Cadmau, in reply to a deputation which waited on him at Paeroa on Tuesday night, left no doubt regarding' the matter. Our feelings with

respect.to Sunday labour in general

are entirely in accord with those of the Minister. If only on hygienic grounds, we greatly deprecate the turning of Sunday into a working day, and whatever may be the custom in the mining districts of South Africa and America, we should very much regret to see our miners compelled to sacrifice the established day of rest. That there was

some danger of this eventually coming to pass unless prevented by legislation we can readily believe. The experience !of other countries emphatically teaches us that such may easily be the case, and we believe that the Ministry and Parliament did right well to introduce the measure of last session prohibiting the doing of unnecessary work on the gold/fields on Sunday. We have no doubt as to the value of the principle of that Act. The only doubt that may arise in connection with the whole question is as to what constitutes necessary and what unnecessary work on a goldfield. This point has formed the subject of endless controversy,

and apparently it has not been settled clearly yet. Regarding it from the point of view of a layman, we are certainly inclined to share the opinion of those who hold that the exigencies of the mining industry do not absolutely require that the batteries should be kept going on Sundays, but at the same time we are quite prepared to be convinced to the contrary if those interested in holding- the other opinion can present indisputable evidence in support of their position. Tt is only fair to them and to the mining- industry that they should be fully heard, and every opportunity afforded to state their case.

This and other mattters affect ingmining are likely to engage the attention of the Council of the Chamber of Mines this afternoon, and the views of the Chamber on them will be submilted to Mr Cadman when he arrives in town. That the Minister is sincerely solicitous both of the welfare of the miners and of the industry in which they are employed ,we are perfectly convinced, and we feel sure that he will do his utmost in the interests of both employers and employees. Tt must be evident, however, that he is placed in a difficult position between the interests of the men, the interests of the country, and the interests of the industry itself, when as has recently been made to appear, these so frequently conflict. To reconcile them so that justice may be done to all parties is no easy task, for as we said before, it is a hard matter to discriminate the truth in a series of partial and prejudiced presentations of the position.