THE COAL MINERS' STRIKE IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

Colonist, Volume XVI, Issue 1604, 4 February 1873, Page 4

THE COAL MINERS' STRIKE IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

{From the Australasian, January 18.) A GOOD deal of inconvenience and some grumbling hag been occasioned to Melbourne residents by the high prioe of coals, consequent on tho (strikes in the Newcastle coal pita. But before giving away to the inclination to condemn the action which led to this result, so unpleasant to householders, it is worth while looking at the merits of the matter in dispute. Tho men, when on strike in July last, agreed to accept tho masters' terms as to prices, on the understanding that tlie question as to the hours of work was to be settled hereafter. Seeing no movement on the part of the masters, they now again raise the question, and claim that the working day shall be limited to 10 hours. Not many people will be disposed to think this is an undue shortening of a drty spent at the laborious and painful toil of a coal miner. But there is this further on the side of the men. They are paid by the quantity of coal they cut, and so, in shortening the day they lessen their wages. Their reason for taking this course is one in '.i hieh most peoplo will sympathise. Attending on Uio miners, driving horses, and doing other light jobs, are a number of young boys. These are paid by the day. And it is because their hours of labor are unduly long—long to a degree that produces " injurious effects on the moral, mental, and physical co-idition of these young people"—that »he men eeek to limit their own working day, and, as a consequence, that of their boys. So far as wo can see, thu men appear to be struggling on behalf of a cause ti.nt, whether it attains success or not, deserves to do h », and all will be inclined to sympathise with their efforts, even at the cxponse of a temporary and unwelcome increase in the coal merchant's charges. The worat feature of the affair is, that the public, warned by experience, is generally disposed to believe that this increase is not to much duo to the restriction of supplies as to tho operations of speculators iv the coal market, who make their harvest out of the momentary disturbance of the rate of supply.

The Jewish Chronicle says :—" A ociety of atheists has been formed at Venice. They recently gent »n address of congratulation to King Victor Emanuel on the escape of his son and daughter-in-jaw fiom assassination. Oddly enough, forgetting they were atheists, they 'thanked Divine Providence for the miraculous escape, &c.'"