THE COAL FUTURE.

Bruce Herald, Volume LV, Issue 65, 25 August 1919, Page 4

THE COAL FUTURE.

OWNERS' REPLY TO MINERS'

REPRESENTATIONS.

In a letter forwarded to the Prime Minister at Wellington, the- coal mine owners replied to statements iby flic representatives, of the 'Alliance of Labour at Saturday's deputation. The owners state that it was- -shown at the recent conference that it would be Impracticable to frame conditions for a national agreement. The owners are prepared t.o t decide upon the percentage of increase in wages, local conditions to 'be 'settled individually, the objections to discuss any new conditions in -mines where the present agreement- is in force until six months after the duration of- war being waived, with the exception of the cases of the Kiripaka, Pukemiro, Waipa, Nightcaps, and probably the Green Island mines, 'where the agreement 'remains in force until six months after the declaration of peace. In regard to the demand for wages equivalent to the pre-war days, it is submitted that the Government -Statistician's figures show that it is wrong to suggest that the -increase in the- cost of living is about 55 per cent., and that the owners' offer 'of a total increase of 45 per cent, over pre-war rates -more than provided for the wage equivalent. Trucking by miners is not peculiar to Xew Zealand. 'Bcgarding the assertion {hat the average earned at the Point Elizabeth State mine is 24s- :W1 per shift, and at the 'Liverpool mine 20s 7d, the owners state that "the Miners' Federation representatives are aware that owingi to special circumstances operating at Point Elizabeth jiiine the average rate earned during recent m'oiiths has -been higher than would otherwise have been the ease." The miners' demand for a minimum wage is really a demand for a guarantee wage; in other words, it is ! desired- that pieceworkers should be guaranteed a certain wage, no matter how -little work they might do. The proposal is defined as* I ,in insidious attempt to secure the abolition 'of -the contract system, as with the high minimum rate demanded (18s) it is pro'bable that many -miners will fee content to work slowly and accept the guarantee wage pending the nationalisation of the industry. The owners state that, taking into consideration the claims made by the federation and also the 'last proposals at the conference and'the attitude of the deputation, it is evident to the coal mine owners that the present demands indicate a very determined attempt to make coal mining so unprofitable a's to cause mines under private ownership to close down, and thus compel the Government to consider the nationalisation of the mines. Indeed, it. is quite clearly stated by the deputation that- this is the only solution. That being the case, it appears to be futile for the cmpldycvs to endeavour to arrange a settlement which will be satisfactory to themselves and at the same ti-mc protect the interests of the couinfunity generally.