MINERS' WORKING HOURS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17294, 18 October 1919, Page 13

MINERS' WORKING HOURS.

assert that eight hours i. day was not too long to be employed underground. It is quite as true as significant, that many colliery proprietors in various countries, have repeatedly -stated that. a seven-hour shift -would Dot be less profitable to them than an eight. Without doubt several English proprietors would have instituted the " sewener " of their own freewill; absolutely without the country's legislation compelling, or the miners' organisation, demanding them to do so: just as Sir Arthur Markham, Bart., adopted eighthours when the law permitted nine. Chiefly why a voluntary reduction of hours never forth came, was because the vested interests of coal-owners were often not confined to mines alone; and whilst in' the , particular rphere of mining activity, a reduced " hourage " would create greater efficiency and immense stimulation of the miners' power of productivity, it was merely speculative as to whether it would be a financial, experimental, success, in other industries which would in the twinkling of an eye lock for a similar reduction also. So clearly aware are the coal-owners of New Zealand of ihe waning energy of the miner as his eight hours revolve and so conspicuous and perpetual is the loss of time owing to the miners' sheer exhaustion and the numerous ailments in consequence thereof, that it is an economic conundrum why they, the owners, have not with one accord instituted an hour reduction simply and solely as a sound financial businesslike proposition. Could the public of New Zealand take a peep into a coal mine, with the aid of a candle power safety lamp, and suite the foul air from which Nature never yet made any mine free; and did they fully recognise that a reduction of an hour would not legitimately cause an increase in the price of coal, by virtue of the fact that such hour reduction would be -balanced by renewed irrvigoration, therefore maintained production, the public would not regard _ the miner with such abhorrence. -<vh o his soul cries out in anguish to rise earlier from the S bowels of the earth. If the coal-owner? I could grant, or He instrumental in th*> enactment of the -hours' day, ar-W »i i v.,.

not thereby appear to be yielding under the pressure of the Minor?" Federation. i'_ is highly pro'oaiMe that seven h'-o'i« would as a business proposition forth come. On the other hand. i:<"> better diplomacy could he exercised hv the miners than to abandon their ma':if"M demands, accept the increase offered, ami secure the seven hours a day which r hanging like a hnrich of grapes within reach just over their head? Despite any criticism that may lie raiff i :>-!raPced Socialists upon the question m Ktfkiency versus Shorter Hours. noUiiiu* mi locate any plea or argument that ss pr T>e!led by a motive f- >r f::oi!it:it;:i£ » re duction of hours of the cos' tr'tif. Susrn. T.M-KEN—* rv. 1 ' i Huntlv, October 17. I'*!?. t: