UNEMPLOYMENT.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19666, 9 July 1929, Page 13

UNEMPLOYMENT.

TO THE KDtTOH OF THE PESSS Sir, —lii Friday's Press it is reported that there ia a coal shortage, and in yesterday's issue your correspondent, "Watchman," refers to the same •übject, and it ia sugested that the miners nhould work on Saturdays. J»oi», if the miners c hoose not to work on Saturdays, why should they do bo? Are there not many hundreds of men in this country without work who could bi> put to work in the Various mines in the Dominion? There are a lot of people in this country who have a fad that Australian coa.l is better than New Zealand coal. As a matter ot fac-t it it; not superior to Now Zealand eojd. On the contrary we have coal in this country, both for steam and household purpose*., superior to anything there ia in either Australia or any other country, with the exception or, perhaps England and Wales. Part of my training was in the coal mines in EngIrnd I hav*r used the coal from many at tho wines in this country,, raising •team on dredgers, and we always use it for household purposes. I have been around Australia and seen their coal used on ships, and also out in the East, where they nad a largo market, but havo lost it People do not take into account that tho money paid for •very too of Australian coal that is imported into this country goes out of tho country, and is not only helping tei pnt the trade balance against us, but is depriving our men of employment. The people who buy goods from ether countries, goods we have here at hand, are the real cause of the unemployment. Not tho unfortunate i Government, which lias no command ever the people who send their money away. If I had my way I would put an import duty on all Australian coal and help to level up the trade balance, besides giving more work to our own people.—Yours, etc., GEORGE LKE. Templeton, July Bth, 1828.