The Waikato Times. With which is incorporated The Waikato Argus. MONDAY, JUNE 7, 1926. CONTINUED COAL STRIKE.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16816, 7 June 1926, Page 4

The Waikato Times. With which is incorporated The Waikato Argus. MONDAY, JUNE 7, 1926. CONTINUED COAL STRIKE.

The continuation of the coal strike in Britain is beginning to cause serious trouble in the manufacturing districts. Many industries would have provided a stock of coal in anticipation of trouble, but coal is not an article that can he stored to any great extent. The cost of handling is prohibitive. Neither masters nor men will make any move, and yet it is not certain that if work were resumed there would be any fall in wages. The amount paid is a percentage of the selling price of coal. What was left over for the owner was not enough, and he demanded that the percentage be decreased, and this the men have refused to agree to. It is obvious that both masters and men are dependent upon the selling price of coal, which is likely to be increased bcausc this stoppage will mean that the poorer mines will never be reopened. The reduced output will probably command a higher price, and tills might settle the trouble with coal miners. Unfortunately it makes the position worse for all industries that use coal. It appears that the owners arc not agreed amongst themselves, and that in addition to tho quarrel with the men there is competition and friction between different companies. The owners of coal pits that are provided with adequate plant feci that they could stand competition, but that their position is weakened by the coal pits that cannot do much good for themslcves but turn out enough coal to keep the price down. The owners of the inferior mines are not prepared to provide further capital where the life of the mine must be short but they naturally wish to have what can be got out of the last few working years; and hack of the conflict between different owners is the necessity that the country should he provided with cheap coal. The posilion of the men is as illogical as that of the owners, and here again there is the same conflict of interest. Men working in up-to-date mines have earned good wages; those working in poor mines have earned poor wages, although no man is paid less than the national minimum. When mining commences again it will be found that large numbers cannot And employment. The House of Common., have recently debated the question. Mr Baldwin has announced that his offer of a reduced subsidy lias lapsed, and that lie is not prepared to use taxpayers’ money to subsidise one interest; neither would he he forced to assume control of the industry. These arc bold and sensible words; we may all hope that Mr Baldwin will slick to them. His action hitherto was well meant but unfortunate, and has undoubtedly prolonged the difficulty. Apparently the men arc returning to the demand for nationalisation of the industry. Such a course would he impossible on the terms they proposed, for it would leave the miners to fix the rale of wages and tho Government to find the difference between the wages and the selling price of coal. The country had had nine months experience of this and will not continue it; but even if nationalisation were carried out on reasonable lines it would provide no remedy, it would not increase the demand for coal, for that depends on the stale of trade in Britain and abroad. It would not decrease the cost, for the universal experience is that Governments do not work cheaply and are only successful in business whim they have a monopoly. H the price of ! coal were low wages would fall, and

Hit! mou would resold it in the same manner as at present. Wo have Slate coal mines here, and lind Um same liability to labour troubles there as in privately owned mini's. It is possible Unit the ouleome ul' the dispiito will be nationalisation, but, if so it will be. a areal, disaster. The I rouble has largely risen oil account of Ihe apathy shown during Ihe past, live or six years. Owners could foresee tiie trouble, awaiting the industry bill could lake no slops of any kind to meet it. t'fovernnicnts in the same way have done nothing to help Ihe youths out ol' the industry. At the

same time the neglect and shortcomings of owners and Governments should not blind us to the economicposition. More coal lias been brought to the surface than was wanted. The price fell, and the owner said lie could not -sarry on without a reduction of wages. The men refused the reduction, but unless they can show' that the owners’ figures are wrong they arc asking for a portion of their wages from the owners’ pockets. It will end in a reduced number of men earning the same wages as before, while very many mines arc shut down and the miners thrown out of work. Among the various proposals made to deal with labour troubles, profit sharing has been prominent. The method pursued in coal mining can heardly be called profit sharing because in so many mines there was no profit. It was, however, something similar to profit sharing for the proceeds of the industry were divided between capital and labour in fixed proportions. It has not prevented disputes, which indeed, seem to have been more frequent than in most industries. Disputes arc not necessarily an evil—it is not a good thing if workmen are unable to stick up for themselves. Disputes can, however, become very bad and can cause great mischief if they are pursued in a senseless and foolish manner, and this mischief is not confined to the men in the industry as we see in the present instance. The masters seem to have fallen back on an antiquated formula, that they can do what they like with their own; the men arc resolved that somebody shall pay them a pound to dig coal worth eighteen shillings. The feeling of the public is “a plague on both your houses.”