Manawatu Evening Standard. TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 1920. INDUSTRIAL PARALYSIS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1712, 13 January 1920, Page 4

Manawatu Evening Standard. TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 1920. INDUSTRIAL PARALYSIS.

The coal shortage is responsible for a sort of creeping paralysis that is afflicting practically every branch of industry. The enquiries made locally by a representative of the "Standard" yesterday, revealed a scarcity of cement that is scarcely understandable in a country such as this, which, with its immense deposits of limestone, is capable of turning out not only sulhcient material to meet our own requirements, but a very considerable exportable surplus. The cement companies doing business in New Zealand have, indeed, plant enough to cope with more than our needs in that direction. Under normal conditions, the mere idea of suggesting that any necessity had arisen for importing cement, would appear so absurd as to border upon sheer lunacy, for the cement can bo manufactured here more cheaply, and in such quantities as to put the imported article entirely out of the question. Yet the paralysis engendered by the "go-slow" movement in the coal mines of the Dominion is responsible for such a shortage in coal stocks, that the cement companies are unable to obtain the needed supplies for "roasting" the limestone for cement purposes, and, as a consequence, the stocks of cement are so small that a complete stoppage is threatened in other industries dependent upon its manufacture and use, such as the building trades. ' As a remedy, we have the Mayor of Wellington suggesting to the Prime Minister that stocks of English Portland cement should be specially imported to fill the needs our own cement companies are willing and able to supply if they can but get the coal they require for its manufacture. But for the crass perversity that is behind the position thus revealed, the whole thing would bo ludicrous. The true remedy, however, is not to bo found in importations of either coal or cement, although the authorities are doing all that they possibly can to ensure a continuance or coal supplies from overseas, but in obtaining for the public a "square deal" from the men who are engaged in the coal mining industry. And—not to put too fine a point upon the whole of a very unsatisfactory business—the public have to thank the coal miners, and the coal miners alone, for the scarcity of fuel, and the partial paralysis of industry which is re-acting upon the cost of living and increasing the already heavy burdens cast upon the community in that direction. The position grows more and more desperate as the days go by, because coal is now practically unobtainable for other than essential industries—there is absolutely nono to bo had in Palmerston, even for these at present, and information to hand is that the coment companies have had to shut down and cease manufacturing, because no coal is avail-

able for them. ■ There has thus been a serious appreciation in the price of the manufactured article, with an additional tax upon the building trade, and this, too, at a time when the demands for housing accommodation, auc. for new buildings, are abnormally great. Unless it is possible to remedy the coal shortage, and to remedy it speedily, the difficulties confronting the Government and people of New Zealand will be enormously increased during the next few months, for every branch of industry is affected by the miners' "go-slow" movement.

THE COAL MINERS' OBJECTIVE. The Government and the public alike, know what to expect, because if the miners have not actually said so in as many words, they have, by their actions—or perhaps it would be more correct to say through their leaders — expressed their determination to check, as far as possible, all industrial-activ-ity until the companies and the mineowners concede their demands. Through the open conferences that were held last year, and the report of the Board of Trade upon the coal mining industry generally, the public have iiad the opportunity of guaging the rights and wrongs of a position that is causing the community even more; hardship, and (where the poorer classes are concerned) suffering, than the miners themselves are undergoing. The outstanding facts in the Board of Trade's report (admitted by the miners themselves) are that the miners can earn from 18s up to 25s per shift; that they work fewer days in the year than any other class of the community, and that, while the housing conditions are bad in some cases, the men employed at the State mines have little or nothing to complain of, while the mining companies are prepared to improve the conditions. The men ask for increased rates of payment, the abolition of the existing hewing rates, and an all round payment of £1 per shift, or working day of six hours, with a five-day week and only the one shift per day, and other concessions in the shape of holidays on full pay, which can only be granted to them at the expense of the public generally. The companies have Left it to be clearly understood that any increased chargos upon the mines arising out of such concessions must bo mat by the public. They have offered an all-round increase of 10 per cent on the payments made to the miners, but the latter have, declined to accept the offer and demand another conference, with the idea presumably of further enforcing their demands. Meanwhile, they have continued and extended the "go-slow" movement, deliberately penalising the public by reducing the output without benefiting, but rather injuring, themselves, as they have reduced their own earnings at least 30 per cent, and are believed to be still further reducing them. They have thus brought about a position which more and more intolerable. Palmerston North is probably no worse off than other towns, and, so long as the gas supply is maintained, most people can manage by burning wood in place of coal, and escape any very serious inconvenience. But the cement shortage is crippling the building trade, and the master builders are confronted with the necessity of closing down operations altogether, unless further supplies of cement are forthcoming, and these would appear to be non existent, for the builders have been informed that orders cannot be filled unless coal is forthcoming for burning the lime required in the manufacture of the cement. The coal shortage is also responsible for the scarcity or. bricks, as the' kilns cannot be fired, and thus building operations are hampered and made more costly all round. Yesterday's Wellington papers again showed that the shipping companies are experiencing considerable difficulty in maintaining their supplies, and the reports from the West Coast and the Waikato 'are not at all re-assuring. The task of placating the miners and of getting them to do their duty to the community, may bo a difficult one, but it has to be faced Unless ttiej are prepared to abandon their goslow" policv, and increase the coal output to normal, industries everywhere must continue to suffer The first and mos t obvious duty before the Government is that of ending the creeping paralysis that is threatening the industrial life of the country. Things cannot go on as they have been doing.