Grey River Argus SATURDAY, August 1st, 1931. THE COAL IMPORTATIONS.

Grey River Argus, 1 August 1931, Page 4

Grey River Argus SATURDAY, August 1st, 1931. THE COAL IMPORTATIONS.

While there appears to be general agreement on the West Coast that the coal industry is seripusly menaced by the policy of import- j ing large supplies from Australia, ’ there is certainly a great lack of' unanimity as to whose is the responsibility for the importing policy. The effects of the importations have been manifest for months past, but latterly there has been none but the miner’s voice raised against them until the an-! nouncement was made that they ' will in all probability lead presently to the closing of an important colliery in this district for an indefinite period, whereby about two hundred miners will be idled. ; The blame, however, for this danger is not difficult to apportion. ' It rests mainl£ with the Govern-

nient. From views expressed at .yesterday’s meeting by certain [members of the Greymouth Cham.ber of Commerce, it might be [imagined that they had been unaware of the excuse offered by the Government some time ago that' (the West Coast mines could not fulfil railway Orders. The Chairman of the Chamber went so far as to justify the policy of the Government in obtaining its coal from Australia at the present time, and other members seemed to imply that the miners were in at least some degree responsible for the preference given oversea coal. It has, however, been notorious for many months that the miners generally have been only too anxious for an opportunity to produce more coal than they were allowed to produce. When they began working short lime, it is true representations from various quart ji's were made against the importations, but it is quite fallacious to say that those representations were acted upon by the Government, which has all along continued the importations, and has merely made the incidence of the tribute system an excuse for its persistence with the importations. From the discussion of the |Chamber yesterday one or two i outstanding features of the situations were conspicuously absent, ithere being no reference made to I the union-smashing expedient of tributism. It was indeed suggested that all parties in the industry (should come together, and there (were references to the alleged effect of rumours in increasing importations. The Chamber, how-1 ever, as a body of commercial men, ought to be well aware of the effect of another more influential factor, but it did not attempt to. acknowledge that factor. We refer to the exchange as between here and Australia. A member of the Legislature has openly admitted that the Government alone has made over £40,000 upon its .imports in this connection. It is (also common knowledge that the [gas companies, which are giving [no orders just now to New Zealand mines, are also collecting (thousands of pounds on their coal (imports through the medium of exchange. Thus the talk about [the “rumours” is at least in a very large degree pure bunkum! ’lf the “goose that lays the golden ,eggs” is being killed, it is not by ithe workers, but by the capialists, ! within and without the GovernIment. The Chamber could not (suggest that the closing of the Wallsend mine is due in any way to the workers employed. Business men may feel concern when the closing of a mine threatens them with a loss of the trade for (which they are indebted to the [workers, but business men should exhibit a concern for the conditions and employment of their worker patrons no less than for the revenue derivable from them. The Government has chosen to (ignore absolutely the effect of the incidence of a working system (which threatens to destroy the organisation of the coal miners, [and also to idle entirely a considerable proportion of their numbers throughout the West Coast. |lt was remarked yesterday that in i other industries the disputes were (more speedily settled ,but it might | e added that if in any other industry there were at any time (an attempt to substitute nonunion for union labour, or to abrogate the terms of the agreements governing hours of labour, safety, and other conditions, it would never be tolerated to the extent of being actually patronised as is the case with the coal industry to-day. | The importations policy is due] very largely indeed to mercenary t aims. In the case of other com-1 modifies, like flour and wheat, the Government protects the Dominion producer every time, and has even decided to clap a special duty on any and every Australian commodity which the exchange (rates cheapen—with one sole exception —the product of the miner. I The Australian flour and wheat (are never used to beat the farmer ,down, or the flourmiller; but Australian coal is being wielded as a Weapon to coerce the miner today. Any community whose interest in the coal industry is mainly bound up with the earnings of labour, should take as much account of the workers’ rights as [any other factor. It is therefore (to be hoped that the Chamber of Commerce and other local organisations will renew their previous representations in favour of the use of New Zealand coals by (New Zealanders. The miners are not forgetful of past representations in the common interest against the importation policy, but, while quite prepared to be [judged on the stand they have (taken to protect their conditions land organisation, would natur-i (ally object to be judged in theirj action without any regard what-, (ever for the merits of their ease. If the full facts of the coal situa-l tion are made the basis of publie opinion, then there will be every, reason to expect an early solution of the problems existing.