SUGGESTED NATIONALISATION OF THE MINES

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 33, 7 August 1918, Page 8

SUGGESTED NATIONALISATION OF THE MINES

TROUBLE MAY SPREAD.

The Christchuxch Sun. of yesterday prints the Ml text of the letter forwarded, to the Acting Prime Minister (Sir James Allen) by Mr. Hiram Hunter, national secretary of the United Federation of Labour, in reference to the deadlock between the Miners' Federation and the mine owners. A portion of the letter appealing to the Government to take control of &H till© mines is contained in a Press Association telegram printed elsewhere in this issue. The remainder of the letter reads :— "The coalmine-owners have a federation themselves, and' yet they deny the coalminers the right to a similar combination. Thus the coal' kings have thrown down the gage of battle to organised Labour generally. "We contend that it is rather late in the day for employers to combat the right of working men to select whom they please to present their case for them, and, further, that the time is inopportune for such a conflict. "The trade unionists of New Zealand do not want any industrial strife, and as we are convinced that such is inevitable if the Govermneni fails io act, and act promptly, we urge you with all the power we possess to.step in and prevent such a possibility by assuming control of all the mines. "The consumers are under the painful necessity of trying to obtain warmth and heat from the rubbish they are being supplied with, in the name of coal, at a cost of £3 per ton and upwards. "Apparently it matters not where the coal is obtained. Whether it comes from Newcastle, 1200 miles away, or .from the mountains close to Christchurch, whether it is lignite or good household coal, the price to the householder is the same. The people are absolutely 'full up' with this sort of thing, and consider that the time has arrived, for the Government to step in and rectify the situation."