THE MINING TROUBLE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 416, 27 January 1909, Page 6

THE MINING TROUBLE.

. . A .which may or may, not bo flnal- ftscl permanent, has been fouritj for the trouble at the Huntly coalmine?, Tho terms which tho-.'minors have accepted from the company iire short.and simple, The four alleged "blp.cklegs" are to remain at wprk an condition that they shall be dismissed if it is proved to the satisfaction of the directory that they &et in'an arbitrary or revengeful manner ( no official of the company is to.be permitted to joia tUa Miners' Union; and n, wagua con-' cession js to be mado by the company. Apparently- the company is satisfied 1 with this, arrangement, which certainly seems ti bo free from any element likely to lead .to friction and -fresh dispute in its mines.! 1 At thesame time.we.donot hesitate to: say that .tho terras of, settlement must cause profound uneasiness in thoso who-roalisotha prosont topper of tradesunionism and who are able to look beyond 'their, iioses; .. |t was pot, ;of business of the Taupiri Company to ccncern itself with ,anything but its own' interests ; the directors owed their first fluty to the shareholders, Wo do ppt suggost, therefore, that the directors should have ; regarded themselves :as ; appointed to begin the fight ,of the country against the dominance of trades-unionism 'in : industry; and: industrial legislation. What we have to do is to realise that, in a situation which' promised otherwise, trades-union-ism has once more succeeded in gaining its ends by a display of force. The company has certainly resisted the demand that the . so-called "blacklegs" should bo disrated, but it has made a concession of principle quit? as- substantial, It has admitted, 'the right of its employees to guide,' or p.t any rate to influence, its action as an employer of labour. The men are of course fully aware of the reality, of their success, and they; aro not likely to be modest or .jsoderate when next they decide to try conclusions with their employers,, ,As wo have often pointed out,, the effect of these successive triumphs of militant trades-unionism is cumulative. Aftor each such victory, the prospeots of a victory for- equity grow smaller, and trades-unionism, grows bolder 4r its estimate of its superiority over'' the law, Sooner or later, of course, the public will demand, tho ropa&l of the Act which gives grpat power and strength to labour without' at the same time securing that .that POWBr and strength will hot be abused. In the meantime', the employers of labour are taking no. steps to prepare their defences, Thejr neglect to arrange a means of effective co-operation against labour risings will be paid for very dearly. Tho net results of,the various disturbances in tho mines are pot such as can be regarded with equanimity. They consist of a stimulated and encouraged'spirit of arrogance in the trades-unions and a gross misuse of the public credit by the Government.