The Daily News. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1920. THE COAL SITUATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 September 1920, Page 4

The Daily News. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1920. THE COAL SITUATION.

"The -coal situation is looking bad," telegraphed our Parliamentary correspondent on Friday night. Most people will be inclined to consider the matter is not one of appearance, but that it is almost as bad as it can well be. The debate on the Imprest Supply Bill the same evening dealt very largely with this vexed question. The Premier admitted that the miner's life is full of hardship, but he considers the miners seem to have an unlimited stock of grievances, which they are not prepared to disclose except in piecemeal fashion. This is perfectly true. As fast as one • trouble is adjusted another arises. First it is the housing, then the wages, and then the railway fault. Now we have on the West Coast the ludicrous spectacle of the men striking because two of their fellows refuse to pay the Broken Hill strike levy. Talk of the tyranny of the employers; is 'there anything to equal this form of tyranny? These two men no doubt believe that the Broken Hill men are just as well able as themselves to earn their wages, and object to encouraging them in their loafing policy. For this their fellows seek to ostracise and penalise them, unmindful, of course, that in endeavoring to punish the recalcitrants they are penalising themselves and the community,, which unfortunately is so dependent upon coal. The strike in the Waikato is equally unreasonable and foolish. There the men are presumably satisfied with the wages and conditions of work, which appear to be liberal and good. Their trouble is that they want the same concession conceded to them in the matter of railway fares as was granted by the Government in respect of the State miners,' notwithstanding that the mines in which they are employed are privately-owned, and that the owners have no control ■ over the railways. The ridiculous, but it is all part of the piece. The leaders are endeavoring, by every means, legitimate and illegitimate, to lessen production, so as to rod nee coal stocks and so make the way clear for them to deal what, they imagine will be a death-blow to industry when they consider the time is ripe for it. Behind this move, too, may he something more sinister. The publie should not be misled by tlieir specious excuses for their unpatriotic and hurtful action. They are pursuing a course that is inimical to the true interests of the Dominion, and the public should rally around the authorities and cooperate loy&Uy. with them in what

is admittedly a difficult situation, The talk of nationalisation is only a red-herring drawn across the track. The miners' leaders no doubt would like nationalisation, for t'liat would give them greater power and facility than ever to perfect their own pernicious plans, but it may be taken for granted that in their advocacy they are animated by no desire whatever to promote the country's best interests in these important days of reconstruction and development.