PREMIER BAVIN'S AIM

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 22, 28 January 1929, Page 10

PREMIER BAVIN'S AIM

NEW SOUTH WALES CASE

MINERS REFUSE TERMS

(From "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, 24th January.

New Zealand coal owners and miners will be gratified at the rejection by the mivers of New South AVales of the Government's,proposals for the rehabilitation of the coal industry, under the terms of which coal exported to . the. Dominion and other overseas countries was to bo reduced in price 5s a ton. Tho acceptance of tho terms, already approved by tho owners would probably have meant a crisis in tho Dominion's coal trade. The rejection, it is feared, means a serious crisis in tho coal industry of New South Wales.

Had the miners seen lit to accept the arrangement suggested by the Premier (Mr. Bavin) it is thought that the industry -would have entered upon a new era of prosperity, recovering much of the trade lost during and since the war period owing to ever-mounting costa of production. At the present time many of the mines are closed down; others are worldng only part time, and there are hundreds of miners on the list of unemployed. It was part of the scheme that unprofitable mines would be closed, and it seemed certain that the output of the mines that would remain open would bo considerably increased. The minors were called upon to forego wages equivalent to Is a ton, the owners would forego Is, the State would contribute- 2s, and the Commonwealth Is, which meant that the price of coal for the oversea trade would be reduced us a ton, MINERS' FEDERATION ACTS.

It was shown to the minors that the average reduction as far as the hewing rate' was concerned might not be more than 3d a ton, and in any case the men would hare more work, and, in consequence, instead of their actual wages being reduced they would bo increased and a greater number of men would benefit. But, on principle, and because the scheme provided for an actual reduction in the hewing rate, the miners' representatives have rejected it. This surprised no one. The Miners' Federation does some extraordinary things. There lias been great distress at Idthgow owing to unemployment among miners, and when the mines closed down for the Christmas holidays the company offered to find work for the unemployed during the throe weeks that the mines would ordinarily bo closed. Tlie unemployed, on tho point of starvation, gladly embraced the opportunity, but the federation officials said "JNfo." They could not permit it on principle. Miners had to have their holiday whether they were employed- or not. A federation that would do anything so heartless as this will.stop at nothing. The Government has failed in its attempt to put the industry on a sound footing. What is the next move? That seems to rest with the owners. The owners are unlikely to force a reduction m wages,>but it is highly probable that they will close many of the mines and dismiss many of the miners now at regular work. The owners have been carrying on with the utmost difficulty, so they say, because of ■ ;ack of trade, but they have refrained from doing anything pending the result of the Premier's negotiations with the miners." For a similar reason several large contracts have been delayed, and, of course, it is likely that these will now go to the Welsh mines, which was the original intention. This refers particularly to contracts for the Smith Australian railways, for at existing prices Welsh coal crji be landed at Adelaide cheaper than STowcustlc coal;. ,

OWNERS DISGUSTED. Naturally, the owners are disgusted at the turn of events, although they know the federation officials too well to be surprised. Mr. C. M. M'Donald, chairman of the Northern Colliery Proprietors' Association, explained that the owners had been very patient, as the proposals had been under consideration for four or five months. Apparently the leaders did not rfealise their responsibility to the men, or they would have advised taking a step that would have benefited every man engaged in the industry. Trade was drifting away, and it was certain that the men would suffer. It was the duty of the leaders therefore to make the men realise the seriousness of the position. Instead of bringing about an increased output, with a corresponding increase in employment, nothing had been done to rehabilitate the industry. The owners had no desire to see the men on. the bread line; neither were they anxious: to see them continue to receive the dole now paid to them by the Government. The owners had stated their willingness to forego profits. Mr. M'Donald concluded with the following significant statement: "The owners are not prepared to see the industry drift into chaotic conditions, which it is rapidly doing. If the Government cannot find a satisfactory solution of the problem, then the owners will have to take the necessary steps to do so."