WAIKATO COAL DISPUTE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21471, 20 April 1933, Page 8

WAIKATO COAL DISPUTE

The dispute which has made three Waikato coal mines idle is unfortunate in several features. In the first instance the men engaged at one mine were asked to accept a variation of their agreement because of circumstances which were not under their control in any way, and for which they had no responsibility. A "coal war," as it has been called, developed among the mineowners. It may have been unfortunate for the industry. It might even threaten the position of the men in the end, but the miners would have considerable justification for suggesting that the mineowners should settle their own dispute without hastening to bring their employees into it. Having this amount of justice on their side, the miners were ill-advised to spread the area of the trouble as they have done. Whether it would have been possible to resume work at the one mine affected by the proposals for a variation of the agreement without accepting the postponement of wages has not been made very clear, but it is very unfortunate that two other pits, where there is no difference between the employers and employees, should be idle too. Wages are being lost, and production interrupted when, from the common sense point of view, there is no reason why they should be. The situation is such that attempts to bring an atmosphere of reason into it is very desirable. How much the Under-Secretary of the Mines Department will be able to achieve by his intervention still remains to be seen. From a detached view it seems decidedly a case in which he, or somebody in touch with mining and industrial affairs, should try to take a hand, even if uninvited. The dispute began in a most unfortunate way. From the community viewpoint, as well as for the sake of the parties involved, it should not be allowed to drift any further than can be helped. An appeal to common sense is desirable, and the sooner it is made the better.