DAY BY DAY.

Waikato Times, Volume 91, Issue 14133, 9 August 1919, Page 6

DAY BY DAY.

In our yesterday’s issue vvc published a letter from the Girls’ Hostel president of the fop Hamilton branch of Hamilton. the Girls’ Friendly Society, to the effect that the proposed lodge has not been abandoned, but that it will be gone on with, and that if it is not found possible to have a lodge with 40 beds they may establish one with four. The promoters certainly deserve credit for their enthusiasm in a good cause. We, however, desire to state, that our report of the last meeting of the Lodge Committee (supplied, by the way, by a prominent member of that committee) most certainly conveyed the meaning that the committee had decided to discontinue its effort and further, agreed to co-operate with any other (undenominational), movement which might be launched to secure the object desired. ■Such.a movement is on the tapis, under the-auspices of •the Young Women’s Christian Association, which runs popular institutions of the kind in several towns Of 'this Dominion under capable and efficient supervision, and if all those who are •out to benefit the girls of Hamilton by providing them with really comfortable quarters will throw themselves energetically into that campaign, there is every reason to believe that the institution with 40 or even 00 beds will materialise at no distant date. If the two schemes arc launched it is

probable that neither will carried | to full fruition, In wdif,ch,ba'sO thefchief | sufferers will be those whom the promoters of each profess to be anxious to help. The G.F.S. was certainly first in the field, but' 'the ;, fe(Tmmittce was, upon inquiry, forced to the conclusion that the constitution of that body did not (perhaps fpr loQaf reasons) commend itself to the public, and that therefore, the success of Its scheme was jeopardised. .We admit that the society'arid its'‘objects are wider than its- constitution, and that fact emboldens ns do'‘ confidently appeal to its presldftU ah'd 1 members to eo-oporale in a project which'ail sections working harmoniously together can carry to a l 'successful issue, but which division of effort may prejudice and ruin. It is the object that counts. There is reason to hope that the Conference between the Prospects mine owners and the. of representatives of the Settlement. Miners’, Federation will yet result in an agreement being framed which will prove satisfactory, a committee representative of both parties having been set up to that end. Presuming that both sides approach the problem with an earnest desire to elucidate it, they should be successful, and as a result we may reasonably hope for a cessation of the policy of pinpricking and veiled hostility, which has been so pronounced in the past. With a full, free and frank discussion, arid botli sides having all their cards on the table, it should not be a’difficult thing for reasonable men to > come together and by concession and compromise arrive at a conclusion, whereby one party will receive all that it can justly claim and the other concede, fill that can, with justice, be demanded. With each side satisfied that this has been achieved a term of industrial peace, to which we have long been should ensue. Care, however, must be exercised to prevent the public being penalised, and to that end the negotiations should be based upon a definite selling price for coal at ’ the mine’s mouth. With that point, decided, the owners; find the miners wdiild know the margin upon which they ’.were working, and the interests of/ the public would be safeguarded; Experience in the past has been that"a'Small'increase to the coalminer has meant' a big increase to the coal consumer with increased discontent to* both'because of the knowledge that such increases have brought increased profits to the owners. With an rigreenrvent. based upon a fair and reasonable selling price of the produce all three parties to the dispute .(the miners,’the.'owners and the, public) should bp'i content.- We are but echoing; ther.fervefit-ihope of the general public when, wQ:.sa(y that we trust that the committee set up will accomplish the task, it -has been assigned. ~ *