The Timaru Herald. FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 1918. MINERS ON STRIKE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVII, Issue 16617, 23 August 1918, Page 4

The Timaru Herald. FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 1918. MINERS ON STRIKE.

Au aspect of new gravity is given I to the coal miners' dispute by \ the men at Blackball and Paparoa, who have struck work, and resolved not to return until an increase of 20 per cent, on wages is granted to them. It is stated that the nien'at the State mines arc to hold a stop-work meeting to-day, at which they will decide whether the same action is to be taken by them. The men at a dozen mines had previously resolved to go on strike if the refusal of the mine-owners to discuss with their Federation the request for a 20 per cent, increase was persisted in. The mineowners at au early stage announced their willingness to discuss the position with the unions, but they declined to meet the i Federation, which they accused jof pushing in its oar for the sole object of making trouble. Mr ! Scrapie claims that all the influence of that body, has been used to avert trouble, and it is plain that, whatever was the position at the outsst, the unions and the Federation are a.s one to-day in supporting the demands put forward. The Federation contends that. ,with an avcra«»fi income of £238 a year (from which must be deducted for explosives, tools, etc., £29), thy miner is worse off today, owing to the increased cost of living, than he was before the war, wivh an income of £2Ol. If that is granted it follows only that the miner is in the same case with other workers, the great majority of whom would think themselves comparatively well off if they had close on £5 a week to meet necessities. The increased cost of living is au inevitable result of war time, which those also suffer whose incomes have never been increased. But the miner's pav was raised fourteen months a.<?o, to provide fortius same cost of living, when, in addition to the stipulated rates for both classes, provision was made for a bonus of 17A per cent, to hewers and 20 per cent, to j wages men. That arrangement was made with the \iuions, after prolonged discussions with the Federation had proved abortive. The agreement was incorporated iu an award of the Arbitration Court, made to last til] six months after the war's conclusion, or. if the war should not end sooner, for a period of three years. [Now the miners desire to depart from that agreement. They were moving to upset- it, according to their own statement, as early as December last, six months after it was made. By striking and bv threatening to strike they have declared that, having entered into an agreement, they will not be bound by it, and the mine-owners have a right to ask what agreements they will be bound by, or, if a new increase is granted to-morrow, how long will thai? a-ive satisfaction. The Federation professes that it is not asking for a new agreement, but only for a " readjustment in wages," bnt that is no more than a distinction of i words.

The Government may set up a Commission to inquire into mineowners' profits. That is a side issue. It may persuade, it can hardly coerce, the owner.*, who have acted legally throughout, to attend a conference with the Federation. There is one thingthat the Government cannot do. It cannot treat men who go on strike in the circumstances of the West Coast strikers other than as law-hreakers. for whom heavy penalties are l>y law provided. The action which has been taken by a proportion of the miners and threatened hy the rest is wade move reprehensible by the

fact that these men are engaged in an essential industry, a \rar industry at the present time, and are exempted from all the economic, as well as other disadvantages of military service on that account. It is the public generally which must feel the pinch if these privileged men go out on strike- Sir James ' Allen has stated that, if they strike, they will no longer be exempted from military service, and we can hope that that prospect will induce the miners to tfiink belter of their hasty action. The Minister of Mines Las stated that " so far as we can see there is no section, of the people making' higher wages than the miners are." If the coal workers had a stronjr case, instead of no case at all. in view of their unexpired agreement, they would still have no excuse for going on strike.