Manawatu Evening Standard. FRIDAY, SEPT, 25, 1942. STRIKING MINERS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 254, 25 September 1942, Page 4

Manawatu Evening Standard. FRIDAY, SEPT, 25, 1942. STRIKING MINERS.

When tlie Minister of Mines announced the Government’s intention to bring tbe Waikato coal mines under State control —one actually is a State mine —be expressed bis “confident belief that tbe striking miners would return to work under tbe new regime.” It was reported in a Press Association message from Auckland on September 21 that tbe miners bad decided to return to work conditional on tbe State taking over tbe mines, and this proposal bad been submitted to tbe Government for consideration. Tbe miners palpably won a victory when tbe Government submitted to their wishes, yet responsible Ministers bad freely condemned tbe men for striking in defiance of tbeir union’s attitude and constitutional authority. Mr Webb has taken pains to assure tbe country that tbe decision has not been made at tbe miners’ demand and that regulations providing for State control bad been drafted a week previously. 13e this as it may, the public may be pardoned for bolding a contrary view that tbe miners’ attitude did have a most important bearing upon the decision. Mr Coates, in endorsing tbe Government’s action, declares that control of tbe mines is not socialisation, but be conveniently ignores tbe fact .that it is a decided advance towards the attainment of one plank in the Socialist Government’s programme —tbe socialisation of tbe means of production. Furthermore tbe disturbing fact remains that tbe “companies’ consent did not come into the matter.” “Industrial peace does not necessarily come from State control. Tbe attitude of tbe employees of tbe State Waikato mine does not differ from that of tbe companies’ employees, and the test of tbe Government’s action is tbe result it will achieve. So far it is far from satisfactory. On Wednesday three mines resumed production and another near Te Kuiti subsequently joined them, but yesterday the situation was thrown into further confusion when all the mines were again idle except two, pending the “clarification of the original issues.” That was an unhappy start for State control and not a good augury for the future. Tbe latest information is that a secret ballot is to be held at all the mines and the voting figures will be announced The presumption is that the men, given the right to express themselves in this manner, will show a desire to return to work. They have lost threeweeks’ wages and are feeling the effects of their own enforced idleness. Failure to do so must have a most serious effect upon the whole community. The Minister for Mines has mentioned some of these and tbeir implications. It is always the public —the great third party whose interests are never considered and who are never really represented in disputes—who _ suffer the most. And the public cannot help feeling that in this matter the Government has been lamentablv weak and failed.