LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 10, 7 October 1918, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

COST OF LIVING OPEN LETTER TO THE HON. W. D. S. MACDONALD. Sir,—As Minister of Mines and a member of the National Cabinet, whose members have all declared their intention to dp all in their power to reduce the living, here is a much easier task) iie., prevention of the unwarranted increase y ( ou are, by your inept nonchalance, allowing the mine-owners to foist on to the public. The mine-owners justify their action by the fact that they raised the miners' wages. There is no excuse for jrou not knowing that the extra cost oi production entailed by the miners' increase of. 7 to 10 per cent, does not warrant an increase or 2s. per ton. To refresh your memory, let me inform you Hhafc on the mine-owners' own showing in their recent newspaper controversy the total wages paid per ton put on the railway was about six shillings and threepence. Roughly, the mine-owners were put to an extra expense in production of 10 per cent, on six shillings and threepence—sevenpence -Halfpenny per ton. All. the mine-owners have not been reported as passing on a two-shilling per ton increase, but if the action of those who have remains unchallenged how long will the remainder be in following suifcP If this is the legitimate business that the National Cabinet stands for, one can hardly wonder at their nominee in the recent by-election being turned down.—l am, etc., J.MILLER.