Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16th., 1933. STATE MINES.

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 August 1933, Page 6

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16th., 1933. STATE MINES.

’T'ITE very fullness of the reply by the of Mines (Mr. Macmillan) to recent criticism of State mines administration, may prove a bar to adequate study of the case for the Department, but fair play demands that the facts and figures quoted should be given full consideration. It is concerned mainly with proving that

the Department is not at fault. Whether those outside the Department will accept the Ministerial conclusions is another matter. There is scope for argument, but enthusiasm for debate should not blind either side to the real point at issue, namely, how best to decrease the number of idle days at the State mines, and particularly at Rewanui.

It is poor consolation to State miners to be told that men engaged by private concerns may be worse off, 07* that reductions in the num-

bar of employees are less in the State' mines. The desire of the Minister and his advisers not to dismiss men is appreciated, and so are the selling difficulties due to rhe lesser demand for coal, but the blunt fact remains that the miners’ problem of keeping their dependents and themselves, on such, small wages as have been forthcoming for a long period—sometimes less than they could have earned as “unemployed”—is no nearer solution.

'The Minister’s statement, doe< not appear ultra-sympathetic with the miners’ difficulties. The refusal to hold a conference may be justified by statistics, but is, none the less, a mistake, considering all the circumstances. The information the Minister of Mines has received is second-hand, his reply being based on what his colleague, Mr. Bitchener, reported to him, what the Greymontli Chamber of Commerce and the Railways Board and Department had to say to each other, and what his own subordinates have submitted. No question of the truth of these various reports arises, but a man-to-man talk between miners’ representatives and the Minister would have permitted fuller information and suggestions from the men’s viewpoint, and perhaps chaired the way to brighter things. Tin' question is sure to arise as Io whether Air. Macmillan, as Minister of Agriculture, would reI

fuse to confer with the Farmers’ Union, on any subject vital to primary producers, no matter what the strength or weakness of the ease might be. Should not Mr. Macmillan ! as Alinister of Mines, give the State Miners’ Union, similar personal opportunity?