THE COST OF "GO-SLOW"

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 29, 3 August 1921, Page 4

THE COST OF "GO-SLOW"

In value, New Zealand's coal imports in 1920 were three times New Zealand's coal imports in 1916 ; and during the* first half of the current year New Zealand's coal imports cost £323,000 more than the cost' for the whole twelve months of 1920. The sending of this money out of the country, instead of paying it put in wages in New Zealand, is, the splendid result of the " goslow " policy in Ne\v Zealand coal mines. Militancy oi the coal miners,

• compels the accumulation of a coal • surplus as an insurance against i strikes, and " go-slow " makes the ; accumulation as difficult and costly [ as possible; with the result that the magnified fuel-cost of the transporting services and other great mii duatries has to be passed on to the • public;, and the State finances become too straitened to provide a sufficient reserve for the unemploy- • inent that comes in the train of over-importation and inflation. Fortunately the bill for imported coal, , and the coal-costs of the railways and tramways, teach a lesson that all may read. The Central I^ogress League has done a good work in publishing and emphasising. the coal importation figures.