THE COAL FAMINE IN CROMWELL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12100, 20 July 1901, Page 10

THE COAL FAMINE IN CROMWELL.

TO THE IMTOR. Sin.—lt is a slrani-e paradox ihat iu (hi?, district, which abounds iu coal, a regular cnal lamine is ])iovaleut. and the primary cause is tlie action uf the ]>re=ent Government in allowing a syndicate (the Cromwell and Utmnoehburu Collieries l.'ompany) a monopoly. It is a strange act for a Liberal (ioveriimcnt u. do, but it i-i a fact, as I will show further on. It b, however, on all fours with the appointment ol the Hon. Mr M'Cowan as Minister of Mines. When thai Minister was up here it was evident to the delegates of the local miners' association who interviewed him in Dawson'? Holol that, ho assumed an almost antagonistic attitude to the mining industry. About 18 months a<;o, I. with several other parties, applied for permission to mine for coal in various parts of the Cromwell disU u\ V U \ a l } - )3i( ' atioll »iy mates and 50 11Ji 5* was ov A iUU I on l^ 10 goldfieldw reserve on the northern bank of the Ivawarau, and only two miles distant fiotn Cromwell. The other application.-; were mostly in the Nannoekburn. Our applications canto before (lu; warden, and were .'idjoiuniid from mouth m niontli till t i x inimtlis cxpir.nl. wailing [or !"!i Tnsiipvtor of .Mines lllion .Mr (lordon) Id conic up and rc-piirl. M(.';unvliil>.' tin- syiulicatf was ncjjotirttinp: witli t lk- owners of the working piis »nh tlio view of Inij-inj; tlioiii up, iiud.'wlinn tliat was aci-omplistvMl to their f;iti-=f;utiou. llr Gordon found tirni- to come up. with his S"«-C550r, the present inijwiior I.Mr (Ironi). (Hon the applications were finallv heard, tin- latter gentleman, .•ictiiii; on instructions, opposed everyone liarritifr thiwc in tin- Hanlioeklnirn applied for hy''men who li.nl sold to llie syndicate, and. of course, turned their lii'cnsfis over to it. Overwlielmin s evidence was produced in eonri by us to prove that the pits then open could not even sup. ply the few dredges then working; and the householders, several of whom, including the clerk of the court, voluntarily stated that the preceding winter they could nor get enough coal for doimvtic purpose* All wa« of no avail. Hio Jim had gone forth. The fat sow « back was to be gre;i<(?d, suul the piibbc could go hang, Jt wa<, moreover, pomtvd out that it was absolutely to have one pit at least opened on the Cromwell side of the river, and nearer than the l'annockbmn pits, which aro five fiom the township, with n ir'.meudou.dy neep hill to climb. The inspa-iorV reply was that there was one ])it near '.!:o town already fVoHocVs), v/lucrh U at il-.e top of the main street, that the syndicate had bontjlit it, an.'l he would .<eo tliat if wa« p: opr-rly worked, and that were pleidv of pits open to supply all wants if Ihe ho'deiv would build c-oa)sh((l.-' ])i:; tnough to store it. Kow. .Sir. how has the opened Pollock's pit? ,Since Mr c ( ,!,| it. it iV Hooded—.'tipp'Kod t". hav« 70ftof »vater in the -d'aft—and it in the f-ame now, and not a sinele penny ha« been ?pcni on il. 'I'iic con.-cjij'iccre is that the whole district U i;t the mercy of tho syndiciih', antl rim >ull>vin« ; - public cannot m enough coal ;o warm their this bitter weather. And why not Mi (been fulfil the prontifcn he made ihar he would fee that ihi* syndicate worked every one of their mines to it« fullest i-apaeuy'r ' Why ha* no action been lakm jicair.-i il fr.r :«-lowir.y :he Cromwell nir (PoliockV) io remain id ! e": Aliotlier oxtraordinni-y a' <-v. t' e pari of Mr (ireeu witli vtjjard [o our application w;H this: that if it was granted he would C'Mnpel \y. !u have live chaiiw in | width ni .'-(did coal bvi-weeu our working:; | and the riu*r. although in splendid solid ciHinlry. ,\f same time VeAWb's pit | was aliowi-d to leav 1 oniv two chains. X j produced llie plan of that'nil \n enurt. and ! the anomaly was pointed out to Iho warden ! by our Mr .lolin N'wrner. Mr (»re< 4 J»V' i rnain contention was that ihir»if>h • working of coal niini'.< in I lie earlv day? - i mue!) val'iiilil" coal wa< Mr.i»tlrrer] ;nid h»-f. j and iho ilnveniment wa« deterjuined thai it i .Oioidd not occur airaiu. f admit thai sniuc f nits have h'-cu very cate|p?%ly and wa-ie. } fully workcfl before,' but is i! Yea : oi:able to \ >nj>} (V.« tl.a; a party of mi'ii- and there w< jv I three pia"fical coal miners in our"—would expend th*;ir labour and capital to ojk-h up n iniii" without working it lo the b(sl ndvanUfj." l . and ?cientifie:tl!v it from collapse; Ue<ides, what is iln? in.-pr-cior fovV Mis duties. I know, are lo inspect id! and see ihey ; ( re jnopcrly worked, witlnmi waste of coal and with periVt safety to tl-.p inmers. Tt in any ea-e he finds that is uol boiu;j; done, he ha* full powi-r t«• compel iir or to cancel the license. Throughout the h-nrinir of (he rases il was quite apparent that Air {«reeu wa« otdy obeying inHvuetions. Apvopoa, T must thank our memhev, Mr Fra-er, through vonr column*., for brini?in? the present state or afF:,i;M before the M»ni>try, a\id last week when addrossinp: a meeting j„ C":,niiv.'r!l lie informed tlie r.nitifMlce l-tiai v.ben lie mentinned j{ |o {lie .MiinVler in AVcllinvJon wn-; fihown a telegram froin f'ronrwcll inpr that there were 110 comekint.- or ili-aff 'etion locally ahont the eoa! supply. When li<; tin- audience if they were satisfied with the conduct of the syndicate, he was answered foy a miaimnou- chorus of " \n." Hud I lieen present I would have n»!;ed Jlr what Tiaine was at the bottom nf that telegram, and T wonder tlie (|in stion was not asked. You may he certain. Sir, it eanie from a m-mber of llie syndicate, and not from one of the miblie. Sir. t must apohigi-e for Irespas.-iiiL' on so iiiiie'i of voiu' valcab'e -p-u e, tint f itiint; llie public will admit that if private enterprise and capital are to be discom'aL'iNl bv any (lovernment for the benefit ( ,f syndicates, we shall soon be on it level with •America in the shape of iri»ai!lio Ini-ts and combines, and then, woe betide the hapless miblie. At present Cromwell is an object lesson. The bulk of the electors in itiis portion of the Wakni.ipu electoral districts have always been staunch Liberal.-, but if at the ne.U cirri ion llie (iovernmciil find Ihat. the v have 10-t a lot of their nv.ina tliev run tliaiil; thoimclves in i.encral. anil the Hon. Mr M'dowan. Alinister ol Minns, in particular. —I am. etc., T.ewis Hawhs. .Miner. Kawarau River, .Inly H. I'-S. Ihe above is a correct sluUniu'iit of fads, us ran bo vouched for by Mr John Werner, secretary Cromwell Mining Association. and all present in the Warden's Court that day. and through the result myself anil males were prohibited from malting a good living.