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New Zealand Mail, Issue 871, 9 November 1888, Page 29

There seems to be a perfect epidemic of “ strikes ” in the Colony just now. Nearly every day brings the intelligence of some new movement' of the kind. One day it is the coalminers ; another day the seamen ; then the lumpers, the bootmakers, the shearers, and so on almost without end. The conflict between capital and labour is becoming chronic as well as acute. We can only say —The more’s the pity! These conflicts are in every way mischievous. They are invariably harmful to both parties, but almost without exceptiou labour comes out the worse in the long run. Even if any substantial concessions be wrested from the employers through the pressure of temporary necessity, it is usually found that when the cost of these concessions, in the shape of expense and waste of time, is taken into account, the workmen sustain a net loss as the practical result of their efforts to secure a gain in the gross. These conflicts between labour and capital ought not to occur, because the mere fact of their occurrence proves one side /to be in the wrong. Either capital has been endeavouring to wring unduly bard terms out of labour, and has been met with just resistance, or else labour has been attempting the same wrong at the expense of capital. One side has endeavoured to take advantage of the necessities real or supposed —of the other. This is hot a creditable state of.affairs. A better observance of the good old rule, “Do as you would be done by ” would put an end to all strikes. It may be Utopian to look for such a reformation, but if so, it is greatly»to be regretted, as there can be no doubt at all that strikes are the curse of a country’s trade, and have done more to ruin that of the Mother Country and to drive it abroad than all other causes combiaed. We trust that wiser counsels may yet prevail in New Zealand, and that means may be found of putting an end to the unhappy conflicts latterly so common. They aro simply suicidal at a time when we are striving so hard to establish new industries and to foster those already existent.