Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5th, 1920. THE SLUMP IE ENGLAND.

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 October 1920, Page 3

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. TUESDAY, OCTOBER sth, 1920. THE SLUMP IE ENGLAND.

After a period of unexampled prosperity, during which, fabuious wages were earned as a result of war activities, the workers ol England are now face to face with unemployment, and the outlook for the approaching wifiter is one co he regarded with serious misgivings. While earning high wages during the boom, the workers made a name for themselves by their extravagant living, and it is well known that the great majority of them spent with no thought of the future. As a result, they are no better able to stand a slump now than ever they were. Yesterday’s cables announced that there are growing signs of a coming slump in several branches of trade in Sheffield, Nottingham, and the Midlands, and that many employers, owing n industrial unrest and uncertainty, have been unable to give quotations or accept contracts; 150,000 looms in Lancashire are idle; and 500 women and girls in the ropeworks at Sunderland have jbeen discharged owing to the Cx[cessive cost of production'and ,the ! consequent lack of orders. The i slump appears to be most notice- | able at the ports. - A thousand ! dockers have been discharged at Liverpool, and three thousand unemployed, mostly seamen, are-re-ported at Cardiff. The cables state that many, vessels are beinn diverted to Continental .ports, and the reason for this J« not far to seek. The present epidemic of industrial unrest is mainlv responsible fpj; this state of affairs, the British mining industry being the

storm-centre / The sliortage of coal ior shipment from Britain lias resulted in thousands of firemen and seamen Being thrown out of employment. It was stated at a meeting- of' the Executive of the National Sailors 7 and Firemen’s Union, held in July, that there were then 4UU ships lying idle through shortage of coal, and it was decided to ask the Executive of the Miners’ Federation to meet a deputation from the Union, which would urge that the miners increase the output of coal. The secretary of the Cardiff branch of the National Sailors’ and Firemen’s Union, Mr Matthew Tearle, strongly condemned the attitude of the miners. “I, for one, place the whole responsibility for the stagnation at Cardiff on the miners,” said Mr.Tearle, “and I don’t care whom it pleases or offends. I don’t blame them as individuals ; my wrath is focussed upon their leaders, who ought to tell them the truth. The general stagnation of trade is due to the reduced output of coal. In Cardiff alone there are nearly 1800 seamen out of work, yet the colliers whom we helped to feed during the war are content to see us starve for the want of employment while they fatten upon the proceeds of a seven-hour day. Nor is that the most serious part of it. In six months or so they turn over to a six-hour day. At present only one-seventh of the total output of coal is available for export, and with the change from a sevenhour day to a six-hour day, involving naturally the loss of oneseventh of the productive hours of labour, the amount of coal now available for export will be entirely absorbed. The position has to be remedied quickly. Let the miners remember that the seamen, who during the war braved the perils of the deep so that the nation might be fed and clothed, have wives and families to support. Thev have to live as well as the kinsfolk of the miners. During the last few years we have met the employers round the table, and have frankly discussed the various subjects appertaining to employment, and av© find av© have got more benefits by this method than we did by fightirig for the previous three years. The "an between Capitalism and Labour has got to be bridged, and in my opinion the employers today are more willing to Avqrk'toward this end than a certain section of trades union leaders. We seamen haA r p travelled tlm world; Ave hav T e some idea of international affairs, and Ave are satisfied that Great Britain is the finest onntry under the sun. .1 suggest lo the miners that it is up to every Briton to maintain the nation’s predominance. Let them work eight hours a day until we reach our pre-war prosperity,' until we level up the exchanges, and by doing so we shall give the men who fought for the country a chance. ” We, commend the sentiments expressed by. this union man to the earnest consideration of the Labour leaders of New Zealand. If they Aver© acted upon, much of the industrial trouble prevailing at the present time would cease, and the Dominion’s industries ' would go ahead by leaps and bounds. _ An Empire or country divided within itself must ultimately fall, and the recent great recovery of German trade reveals that our late opponents are making the most of the opportunities afforded them.

LORD JELLICOE. The new Governor-General of tlie Dominion, Lord Jellicoe, received a welcome on his arrival in'Wellington, wliicli proved that the appointment is the most popular one that has been made for some years. Without any of_ the advantages of birth and influence behind him, Lord Jellicoe climbed the ladder of success by his own unaided ability, and hard work. He won golden opinions during his recent visit to the Dominion, and showed • that he had none of the aloofness which might possibly have been evident in others had they occupied a similarly exalted ~ position in the. Havy.. Both he and Lady Jellicoe possess many warm friends in this counr try, and as, permanent residents both they and their young family Tvill no doubt be very popular. In more serious matters, the Government will find in Lord Jellicoe an invaluable adviser, m naval matters, and his appointment at the present time, .when the naval policy of the Dominion 'is still in the melting-pot, is particularly welcome. We join in giving the new Governor-General a warm welcome to Hew Zealand, and tyust that lie and Lady Jellicoe will find their sojourn in this country very pleasant.