THE COAL MINES

Grey River Argus, 12 August 1925, Page 8

THE COAL MINES

SOCIALISATION POLICY. (By “ Ib'wnnui.’•’) The aim cf Socialism is now an extensive, not to say comprehensive one, having bcc.i added to in recent times by studies in the detailed problems of acquisition. As the railways are already part of Nev,- Zealand’s socialised stosk in trade, they do not immediately concern us except as regards the management, nnd it is about time Labour had a voice in thnt —but as regards the coni mines, aid our proposed State Bank, these two subjects do concern us, and if nationalised, will satisfy us for the present. Before people come out to criticise us, armed with executioners axes, tliev really in all decency

and respect for human nature, and for our matured thoughts, should begin by understanding what they are executing. One of Labour's first duties when they occupy the Treasury Benches, will bo to place before Parliament their policy and one chief item of that policy will be file '.nationalisation of. the coal mines of the country. It is therefore important that wo should devote some of our attention to this subject now, so thnt when the time arrives for this question to be discussed, we shall be in a position to refute all arguments i.i opiwisit ion. The interests at stnko are vital interests. The'domestic well bo-

ing, nnd the commercial prosperity of this new country are being threatened, and it is the urgent business of everyone to help to remove this threat. If "e do not. the future will be one, not rf prosperity and progress, but of degradation and decay for the chief of our secondary industries which is coal mining. When we consider this problem of nationalisation, whore do we differ from the capitalistic ideas? They lay down ns a preliminary to all conthnt etiterrrisc and proi ci'tv are essential in ail undertakings. So Labour says that this problem must Im solved within these limits. Now we, also, lay down as a preliminary tc this democratic measure that the methods nnd conditions of production, sale, markets, transhipment, and profits must

serve tip' common interests a.id must also provide this valuable commodity •'it economical prices, and at the same time secure for the mining population a decent and cultured life. To secure this proper standard of life for the minors and their families, the present system of private profit in.hki.tg must be broken down. Ta many- instances in New Zealand the ni lire .owners nnd profiteers argue thnt, to grant a proper standaid of life to the workers, would rui.i the industry! Labour v.itli its manifold duties and its nationalisation policy, will tnae that risk. How near to ruin has the capit"”-' ■- -—•+nni of working the mines brought the worker to in this

industry is shown by Hie methods of iirmluction thnt are adopted i.i certain districts find the hording together of the mining ponuh-rtion. Now we ro gnrd as one of th,, evil conditions of industry and as our of the chief parts of the Socialist creed thnt morality should be encouraged i.i the population and moral motives should be brought into the mining industry; nnd only I when the worker fee’s himself part of | the community can we have such motives. Let us got down to the bed rock foundation of (lie industry, nnd also study the practices in vogue, v.-liiidi create the “gentlemen of the .ndustrv” who are very often congratulated by their friends on making n good business ‘la-1. ns was recently done at Upper Blackball—l mentioned l lie names a few weeks ago—at the '■xpense of Hie miner, who Ims nt times to meet death at his work, accidents continually, sickness occasionally through conditions, nnd premature old age when lie should be enjoying the sunset of his life. ■WESTPORT COAL COY, Firstly, I will take this Company wiih their huge monopolies, both in resources, coal bearing areas and capital. This company is the largest producer of coal in tlie Southern Hemisphere, and it started operations about the year 188’. into difficulties financially, chiefly through underestimating the cost of the initial stages of tlie enterprise, but this was easily overcome as the vst coal field was still there. It was reconstructed, nnd' the paid up capital is now £3.80,000 I with a reserve fund of above £400,0001

all got by the miners’ manual labor. Since the year 1894 enormous dividends have been paid, which with the bonuses added, have made rich men of the original shareholders, who have been paid back four fold their investments. If I hail the space, I could show how the original £5 shares wore manipulated down to £1 each for a certain reason. This Company, by its enormous Influence, which has been got at tho expense of Labour, have made secure their own interest by taking .up certain largo leases, or ureas of cbalI earing country, which were estimated ■i few years ago—and proved in a court ease to last .100 years at thej»yesont rate of extraction. Approximately. they hold .100,000 acres of coalIwHring country, in Charleston, Cape Foulwind, Kuranui, on the hills going buck to Birchfield, and also over the ranges towards Murchison. This Company also, hold the timber rights over most of those districts, which are almost as valuable as the mi.icral rights. This prmli.mlly excludes the settlers on the land!

Labour wants to know if it. is right thnt the huge profits made from the kind nnd the minerals it. contains, should be squandered in foreign countries who i the land really belongs to »!hc people! This evil will be considered'4i;f Labour. BLACKBALL COAL COY. The next item will be Blackball, nnd firn vast iiittQosts if has secured lately. Tim original (-.gupany, which worked this mine stnrtciF.,.ppcra<lons in the early nineties and used this conibearing orca from Sir Edward Dawes'. This large tract bf rich mi.ier.‘iliscd land wns acquired by this gentleman ns part-payment for the supposed completion of n Inigo railway confraot outside of Christ idjiifch, At the. pro-

sent time, this mine is hold and run by v hat I must term a syndicate of rnoAoj’ magnates, whoso interests tiro various, ’sliipjiihg lleirig tho/'clilcf, 'rttid iS'fiTaytl"alh- controlled by a well-known nico horse owner, with a directorate of niafe persons, who in a certain way own the amongst themselves, in what is termed salaries, and expenses. The chairman being allowed n few hundred pounds mine, and who divide the profits extra. But when we consider the obnoxious indefensible principle of one shilling and sixpence per ton royalty—which is got nt Labour’s expense—being ;ra.id to the executors of the, late Air E. Dawes, in London, to ho spent there, wo begin to feel a crisis approaching. Manual labour has to find this royalty, which is disgusting, and some means must be found to do away with it, ns the above gentleman has been paid many times over for the work done bv the mon employed by him nnd which he never did nt all; and

also, it is no good to this young country. Tel-e the average output nt 569 tons per day. It is easily reckoned up and what do the Blackball residents got ,ti return? If the School Committee uisk for a donation towards education from the executors of this estate, they might get a£s note. Labour anil Socialism have work hero. About this largo area acquired lately, and which Labour will have to pay for, I will have something fo say later on.

STOCKTON AND PAPA ROA COAL COMPANIES. I These two companies arc practically /n n par ns far as finances and territory are eouecrued, both being floated nineteen yonrs ago witli n capital of about £lOO,OOO. Then 60,000 preference shares were issued. After that the debentures were handed out. The solders of these, who are very few, run the mines, grant themselves salaries and expenses, which practically exclude the original shareholders from oarticinatiug in the profits. Therefore no notice should be taken of the financial value of the shares, both original, and preference that are printed from time to time, ns they are no criterio.l as to the actual value of the mines. Housing and local conditions could be vastly improved nt both places.

IIUNTT.Y. This Company which easily holds its own as the second mine of importance in New Zealand, both financially and in the holding of leases of coal-bearing land, has paid in dividends and bonuses since its inception, enough to have paid the founders many titne-s over their original investments. The township of Rotowaro, six miles outside of Huntly, which this Company has fortn.•d, is a credit, but when the usual profiteering tactics arc adopted in the shape of charging huge rents for tire -•ottnges they hare built, it makes the profits come in from two sources, which the miner lias to pay for by his labour. Abortive complaints are continually ouing made T>y the workers at the excessive rents they have to pay, but no redress is ever made. This is a subject Labour will take in hand when it assumes office.

TT'KEMIUO AND GI.EN AFTON. I’uki.miro coni mi.io, which has shown itie greatest profits in recent years ot any coal mine in New Zealand, ]>ays its original shareholders their investment back in about every three years—always tit Labour’s expense. Glen Afton, which belongs to the farmers’ Trading Co., hands a rebate back to consumers of from £7 and upwards per year, according to consumption. This Company, being a Co-op. concern oily as regards the owners, nnd not the miners, sells its coal nt market prices. This shows what can oe done with the profits.

WAII’A AND GLEN MASSEY. Housing and local conditions for the workers could lie improved in these two districts, and the mines would be under State control, but nt the present rime profits are the chief items of interest at Hie expense of the worker. lIIKURANGI AND WILSON’S. The local conditions at this mine are n disgrace, although only about two miles from the township of Ilikurangi, where all the accommodation is taken up. Something should be done to improve the living conditions here. Wilson’s mine is placed in a different position, as it is practically in the township, but working conditions could be improved which I saw for myself and, ns this mine belongs to one of the richest coiporntious in New Zealand, means should be taken to improve the conditions nt once. KAITANGATA.

The mine which belongs to the. Colonial Oil and Shale Company, whose profits have always found their way out of New Zealand, is another instance of the exploitation of labour by the capitalistic chiss, for during the 40 wars of its existence, some hundreds f thousands of pounds have found their way out of the- country, and are likely to do so in tire future. The housing, living, and sanitary conditions there are almost perfect, but when rents absorb most of Labour’s earnings to swell the profits, its about time Labour took a ha.iil in rutuiiug thia show.

TAITARU -ESTATE. This magnificent large. area of mineralised country, across the Golden Bay from Nelson, is owned by a syndicate in London, and comprises 88,000 acres. It is absolutely out on its ow.i ns oue of the richest estates south of the equator. This is another instance of royalties going to London to be squandered there, on coal, gold, ironstone, timber and flax. The soil itself is not to be compared with any other in Now Zealand. I put in a few weeks on this estate, nnd can vouch for the immense coal deposits there. As it happens only two or three mines are working- thcr e at. present, but royalties have to be paid' on every to.i of coal extracted. While there I got into conversation -with an aged Maori, who gave me certain information ns regards how the original owners-—the white men I mean —became possessed of this estate. The facts won't stand looking into. It was a disgrace, but all the (.mine largo sums in the shape of royalties, rents, and other fees are collected and sent to London, This problem of royalties going out

of thf: country will have to be solveii frOQtibt Or Inter,, and Labour will, its hojest policy to the inhabitants of New-41e«bHi.d-is -tlsn-only political party to do it. iwt tts also note REEFTON COAX. MIXES. which arc in a quiet way trying to raisrt the- township to a status worthy of its reputation, ftnd will do so when

.imports arc stopped. There are other small mines down South, Tiniaru, Milton, and Night Caps, whoso districts would also feel the be.iefrts of nationalisation. STATE MINES. These mines have Ixcn worked by successive Governments, and have been ru.i by a spoonfed officialdom in Wellington, whose lack of geological education a.td practical ideas and whose surplus of red tape—which lias been

very costly—are no criterion for the electors to go by. By Labour’s scheme all mines will be worked on practical lines for the benefit of New Zealand as a whole. Labour's political opponents, Labour’s critics, the manufacturers of political — ’ —’-;„h is slung ro’r.id in their efforts to belittle Labour’s honest policy of socialisation of industry, speak of Labour in n sneering manner by using the epitaphs “pinks,’’’ “reds,” “conspirators,” and 1 ‘ confiscators,” ehielly because these mud-sli igers have no policy of their own, and because Labour, in her efforts, is trying to raise the level of the manual labourer to a status equal to their own. Labour in her grand efforts to socialise certain industries, does not intend, '.tor ever intended to confiscate, but to pay value for value, in bonds or cash for property taken over. A few weeks ago Mr Anderson (the Minister of Mines) made a remark in the House when he alluded to Labour as the "Beds” and said, “No AngloSaxon people will go over to the Reds!” This insult is easily refuted, because in the ranks of British Labour, all over the British Empire, wo have men and women of our Anglo-Saxon race who by their thoughts and deeds, uphold the principles of Labour and Socialism, whose position in society is of the highest standing, and who are of nil denominations. Some of the greatest politicians in the British Empire'have leanings towards Labour's ninis and ambitions, also some of the most lenred professors in science art. literature, economies and 'culture, who are devoting their life’s work end study, to our ambitions, and whoso deeds, and writings are beyond refutation. There is no country in the world —taking the population ns a basis—in quite film sumo economic situation :i» Now Zealand. We nre living on the very edge of an economic precipice—ns far as our coal industry- l,s concerned—over which at any moment we may bo precipitated. Therefore it is noeosSary to call attention to the dangers which we have to face, and, if wg are not wise enough to take precautions, while there is yot time, we have only ourselves to blnme. When the miners, in conjunction with the rniiwnynn‘,l, have developed fro the stage of nationalisation, anil put ‘hoir practical schemes for working their industry before the country—--thesii schemes are already formed —anyone criticising them by introducing that bogey r ‘the mines for the miters only” should study the coal conditions of to-day, and apply the, same bogey to th,, coal owners, whose clnim to-day is “tho mines for the mine owners only,” i