Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE THURSDAY JULY 30, 1925. COAL CRISIS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 July 1925, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE THURSDAY JULY 30, 1925. COAL CRISIS.

Expectation is now justified that the crisis , in the Homeland coalmining industry will be averted for the time being, and this good news will give general gratification, except to those troublemongers who profiteer on strife. Neither mine-owners nor employees desired a serious stoppage to occur, for the quarrel was not partisan, As has been realised by the Court of Enquiry, what is ready ,wi;ong is with present conditions, for which neither side can be blamed. Confronted with heavy losses through low prices and lack of orders, the owners wished the men to accept reduced wages, but this the miners refused to do, their earnings being too meagre already, and they demanded increases. Each side having so strong a case, it was left to the Government to intervene, and it will now be necessary for the Government to accept its own Court’s verdict. This will probably result in a subsidy to the industry, but in these days of the “doles,” there can be no objection. in principle, to such national aid for a national industry. However, the issue has to be faced. The proposed settlement c t an be but temporary, and the immediate duty of Government, owners and miners is to have a conference at which each section must endeavour to help to remodel the industry to suit modern conditions.. King Coal’s autocracy has ended, as oil, hydro-electricity and other developments now make world industries and private requirements less dependent on coal, and indeed, in many cases, where formerly it reigned supreme, coal now has no place. Nor is this a temporary dethronement ; the possibilities are that each decade will lessen coal’s .importance, although of course, apart from some unexpectedly novel discovery or invention, it will be long before coal will no more be a common fuel. The Homeland can be expected to Ideal effectively with . its coal problem. Bold measures will be necessary to achieve a satisfactory solution. The enormous cost of distribution from pithead to consumer must be de-

creased, royalties must lie made less burdensome, and employers and employed must -realise that easy profit and easy labour arc impossible if W indiistry is -'to ; Like many 1 Btw British, thd bbiil. trade, is faced With i’brbign ■ donipeiiUoil more acute tlidn ever, and despite all the protestations of fraternity and , support from international executives, British miners are intelligent enough to ; , realise.that foreign miners Will not hesitate to prosper - thrOtigtt 1 their British •comrades’ diffieultids. Hdd a stoppage occurred in Britain, foreign miners would have reaped the greatest benefits, and Would have shown little practical consideration for any but themselves. Much of what applies to the Homeland, is equally applicable to New Zealand, and if future serious difficulties arc to be avoided in our own coal centres, be well for the miners to make serious reflection. The West Coast Miners’ Council is not doing the industry any good by its aggressiveness. Incidents, such as yesterday’s .voluntary stoppage from work, at a tijne when most of the men are earning too little already, cannot .be held as action for pride. Little harm was done to the mine-owners, and as the purpose for which the ‘‘protest” was ordered—the men had little say, themselves, in the matter—did not eventuate yesterday, the stoppage was rendered more farcical. The “joke” was at the miners’ expense, and it. is doubtful if they really enjoy it.. The miners must know -the difficulty there is—and will be —in disposing of coal stocks, and it is their selriinterest to help to preserve the industry, and not add to its handicaps. .