HIKURANGI COAL STRIKE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20965, 31 August 1931, Page 8

HIKURANGI COAL STRIKE.

In deciding not to man the Hikurangi Coal Company's mine at midnight last night the miners' union lias taken a deplorable step. The effect of this strike is to put a stop to practically the whole of the coal supply from the north of Auckland, to cripple the industry throughout that region, and to menace with devastating ruin the hundreds of families living at Hikurangi. To do this at a, time of prevalent economic depression is grossly callous. Only if flagrant illegality had been committed by the mining company would the refusal to work have been at all defensible in ordinary times. No such justification can be pleaded, and the general public, knowing that the union has dealt a deliberate blow at the Portland Cement Company as well as the Hikurangi Coal Company—thereby embarrassing two considerable industries —will note with very strong disapproval that this assault has been made at a time when considerate conduct is particularly expected. The dispute had its origin in a trifling quarrel affecting the cement company's mine, which has been idle for about a fortnight as a result of the union's action ; and not only idle, for the withdrawal of even the safety men has entailed a flooding of that mine and its probable abandonment. That was shocking beyond excuse. In agreeing to sup ply coal to the cement company, in an attempt to enable it to carry on in spite of the loss of coal from its own mine, the Hikurangi company has been partly actuated by a wish to keep its men working full time. Its acceptance of the cement company's order was doubly justified—by care for its own employees as well as its own need. For them to turn upon the company in this way, at such a time, in a reckless effort to force a victory in the original quarrel, exposes them to unmeasured censure. Unless they speedily change their attitude —there is a ray of hope in their decision to keep the safety men on until the dispute is settled —they will place themselves hopelessly out of court.