THE COAL MINERS' VOTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17258, 6 September 1919, Page 8

THE COAL MINERS' VOTE.

No answer has been given to the question raised by the Herald a few days ago whether the miners, at the recent secret meetings, were given an opportunity of voting directly on the proposals made by the mineowners and the Government for the settlement of the dispute. The silence of the miners' representatives will confirm a suspicion, very generally entertained, that the issue submitted to the men was not as simple and straightforward as the occasion demands. The position is that a certain offer has been made by the mine owners, and the Government, to whom an appeal was made, has expressed the view that the further increase would be sufficient to bring miners' wages up to the pre-war standard. The Cabinet, however, agreed with the men that the bonus should apply at once to all mines, even to those which are the subject of industrial agreements still running. The miners have, therefore, before them the owners' offer, and the opinion of the Government, based on test questions submitted by the men themselves, that the offer, subject to the amendment suggested, is a fair one. They can hardly i desire a more authoritative judgi ment on the dispute to which they j are a party and they must know that I public opinion thoroughly endorses I the view of the Cabinet. They will incur a grave responsibility in rejecting a settlement so generally recommended to them ; a responsibility that no miner can wish to j carry unless decreed by a clear | majority of his fellow-workers. Has j any such rejection been authorised jby a majority? Have the men i voted on the owners' offer, and have they voted on the Government's interpretation of it, which, under the circumstances, can hardly be disputed by the owners'? The public, a third and vitally interested party, is entitled to an explicit assurance that the issue has gone before the men in this simple form. Failing such an assurance it will expect the Government, as its representative, to insist upon such a vote being taken in every mine without delay. The Conciliation Commissioners might properly be charged with the duty of obtaining such an expression of opinion. The mining dispute is rapidly becoming a deadlock containing all the elements of serious industrial trouble. Such a deplorable development should not be tolerated until tius miners have at least had an opportunity of giving a free and uninfluenced decision.