MINING DISPUTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18158, 1 February 1921, Page 5

MINING DISPUTES

KAITANGATA MINERS,

PROSPECT OF SETTLEMENT BRIGHTER.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) KAITANGATA, January 31. At the usual 7 o’clock meeting this morning, a telegram from Mr Arbuckle (secretary of the Miners' Federation) was read, which has engendered a feeling of uneasiness and doubt amongst the men. The communication, which was very lengthy, was chiefly characterised by its masterly evasion of the federation’s attitude towards the Kaitangata trouble; in fact, from the beginning the local union has never had any . real assurance that the federation waa> going to take up its case. The telegram stated that the final conference with the Prime Minister had been abortive, and that if the miners do not call out all hands with the Kaitangata men, the owners would, them out, which would mean a general strike, involving all the workers in New Zealand.

The final proposal placed before the federation is that a board consisting of Messrs J. Bishop, R. Semple, and (4. Elliott be set up to inouire into the whole position and decide whether Henderson (the BlackbaU miner who, it is alleged, was victimised) was rightly dismissed - or not. its decision to be final and binding on all parties. _ It was for the unions to accept or reject this board, a condition of acceptance being that all mines, including Blackball and Kaitangata, shall immediately resume normal working conditions.

The telegram also stated_ that in the event of the decision going against Henderson he would be able to get work in'.the State mine.

Whether the Kaitangata trouble is to be considered by the_ contemplated board, or at all, is not mentioned, and the local men, who for once were standing solidly for unionism (with the exception of the few “non-conformists” over whom the trouble started), are to-day showing signs of ing and lack of faith in the' federation. The meeting'adjourned until to-night in order to await more definite information from the federation regarding Kaitangata’s case, but it is believed by many that some further evasion and ambiguity will be forthcoming. Meanwhile the mines have entered on their third week of idleness, and the men will continue to meet and adjourn twice daily. A later message states:—At a meeting to-night the Kaitangata Miners’ Union agreed to accept the proposed board. Tfiis means that if the Blackball Union a’so accepts it the Kaitangata miners will return to work at once, though there is nothing to indicate that the Blackball case is, to be heard by the board.

AN “ECONOMIC RIGHT” TO SUPPORT TO THE EDITOR,

Sib,—H seems to me .that the Welfare League *as once more put its foot into the scales of justice. The miners’ dispute arises from certain cause—viz., the dismissal of a man for swearing under alleged provocation. The Welfare League has no quarrel with the cause, the action of the company; but concentrates its attack upon the effect’ the “going-slow” of the miners. This is illogical. If the Welfare League cares for the well-being of the public and not of the company let it strive to remove the cause of the dispute, and get the man re-instated. Then the “go-slow” will cease. Discipline can be preserved by bringing the matter into court.

The Welfare League seems to countenance direct action by employers, but not by employed, and working men cannot be blamed if they begin to question the good faith of the league. The action of the federation seems to be quite reasonable. It is a miners’ federation. It does not pretend to ensure fairplay to mankind; it merely supports the miners who pay a weekly dole for that support. The dismissed man has gn economic right to the help of the federation ; he has paid his union dues. The public is altogether outside the federation’s scope of action —it pays no dues. In this case, however, the interests arc identical ; give fairplay to the man, and fair-play to the public will follow. In the interests of all, will Mr Harper find out why various mineowners have suspended _ work in the mines at various times owing to an alleged shortage of orders? These stoppages ill accord with the Welfare League’s touching story of women and children suffering from a short ago of firing. _ The league might earn the sopport of thinking politicians if now and again it took- up its tomahawk in pursuit of owners, rather than of employees. Sometimes it has rather the appearance of ar. owners’ implement.—l am. etc., Pro Bono Publico. JOur correspondent’s argument that a minor who has paid hig duos has “an economic right” to the help of tho federation would, if it were accepted, have fejeroaching consequences. It would simply put an end to the system of control of industry,—Ed. O.D.T.]