FAT YEARS AND LEAN

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 100, 1 May 1922, Page 7

FAT YEARS AND LEAN

IN MINING INDUSTRY

WEST AUSTRALIAN PREMIER'S ' •' ' VIEW.

<l*ITI» FItKM ASSOCIATION.—COTIIHfIBT.)

(AUITKAUA3 - HIW 2SALAHB CAILE ASSOCIATION.) .' LONDON, 28th April.

Sir James Mitchell, Premier of Western Australia, replying to a deputation of Western Australian mining companies' representatives,- who sought a 'conference with the -miners with a view to a readjustment of. wages and an amendment of the Arbitration Act enabling the Court's decision to be reviewed within a year, said that when the mines were paying increasing dividends the miners loyally accepted the arbitration awards as binding, for a full year. Analogously the mining companies should accept them in a similar way now when dividends were not increasing and wages were falling. ' He did not believe the miners would present unfair demands that were calculated to' Cripple the industry upon .which their existence depended. Railway freights were as low as possible, notwithstanding the continuously shrinking railway revenue. The Government was anxious to develop the mining interests, but was, not prepared to .'grant concessions at the cost of the rest of the community.

Sir Newton Moore, in introducing the deputation, had pointed out that the Western Australian mines formerly produced eight millions sterling per annum, but this tad now dwindled to two millions, while the cost of -production- bad increased to an alarming extent. The cost, of material had increased 50 per cent, and that of labour over 100 per cent, compared with 4914. With the exception of three large mines, which had very good reasons for continuing, all the gold mines of the State. Had closed down, and unless some, change were marie in the near future, the disastrous state of affairs must' continue.