THE MINERS' STRIKE

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2532, 2 October 1888, Page 2

THE MINERS' STRIKE

[liv KI.I'CTHIO TUI.iCCItAI'II. — COI'YMGHT.] Sydney, .September Fivk thousand four hundred pounds were distributed to-day to miners on strike, the rate being one pound per head. (l-'UOM OUK MiaiIOUHXE COHRESL'ONIIENT). Mklp.ourxe, September 24. Although to tho community at larpje nothing but a little inconvenicnco is apparent as the result of tho coal minors' strike, to those more nearly interested it is becoming a thorn in the flesh, this short supply of fuel. The number of men thrown out of employment is being augmented weekly—almost daily—and many families arc reduced to actual beggary in couseciuence. The unsuccessful termination of tho lato conference up at Newcastle has appealed to tho Melbourne public with unpleasant force, and has not tended to make them view the situation any more favourably. W<s are beginning to feel that wc, the consumers, have not a voice in the matter at all where wo ought to have, After all is said and done, it is only a duel between some three thousand miners and one thousand .shareholders over a question of per ton, and tho sulfering public affected by the quarrel is to be counted by hundreds of thousands. There is not a householder in the city who will not be out of pocket by it; not a wage-earner whose income will not be, abridged ; not ail industrial interest which will not suiter. The miners say, "We have rights, and we will enforce them." Tho masters say, " We have rights, and wo will protect them." Hut the suffering publichas it no rights, and cannot it protect them too ? That's what we in Melbourne are beginning to think, that tho interests of tho public arc totally abrogated in this quarrel. Indeed tho coal strike is becoming quite a sore subject with us, and being helpless in the matter, wo are all the more unwilling victims.