ECONOMIC WASTE

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 130, 28 November 1929, Page 10

ECONOMIC WASTE

LOSSES THROUGH

STRIKES

AUSTRALIAN FIGURES

Figures showing the economic waste and loss through strikes were quoted by Col. W. D. Holgate, president of the New Zealand Coal Mine Owners' Association, at the annual meeting yesterday.

"There have been a few minor disputes during the last year, but, fortunately, they have been amicably settled," said Col. Holgate. "Two matters, however, which are giving the coal mine owners some concern are the number of stop-work meetings, and the stopping of a mine because some members of the union refuse to pay levies as demanded by them. I should strongly advise that the matter should be discussed by the association, as . although not very serious at present, it may mean serious trouble in the future. To stop work because some members refuse to pay levies made by their unions is not only a distinct breach of the agreement, but a strike in the cause of which the owners are not concerned.

"Although we have been free from any serious strikes in connection with the industry in New Zealand, I regret to state that it has not been so in New South Wales. The economic waste and loss through strikes cannot be better realised than by an analysis of the following figures taken from a publication by the New South Wales mine owners in May last. Since 1919 to March, 1929, ten years, there have been no less than 2928 different strikes affecting the coal industry and causing a loss in wages alone of not less than £6,392,274 up to that date. The continuation of the strike since then up to the present entails a further estimated loss of £2,000,000, making a total of £8,392,274. The loss to the State generally on land, freights, shipping, and other industries can easily be estimated as four times that figure. The disputes consequently have a disastrous effect on the coal trade in New South Wales. Their export trade from 1923 to the end- of 1928, five years, has dropped over CO per cent., "from 4,705,560 tons to 2,886,563 tons. A great portion of this trade will never bo recovered.

"The economic loss in Britain since 1900 was clearly denned in a paper read by Dr. J. A. Bowen, of the Manchester College of Technology, to the British Association in October, 1928 wherein he states that tho capital value of British mines was not greater than £200,000,000, and 1,200,000 men were employed iv them. There were 800 public companies and 600 private firms. Quite recently £44,500,000 had been spent on new equipment. The losses due to neglect of production through industrial disputes entailed a loss to the miners in wages since 1900 which was sufficient to buy up all the collieries in the country, and the loss to the community had been over four times the present value of the collieries. ''