THE MINERS AND THE TEN HOURS SYSTEM.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 134, 4 June 1872, Page 6

THE MINERS AND THE TEN HOURS SYSTEM.

To the Editor of the Cromwell Arcus. Sir. —Sometimes a man, in giving publicity to his opinions, may be unable to place them in as intelligible a form as he would wish ; he cannot perhaps harmonise his words with his thoughts, so as to convey to the minds of his readers a thorough conception of his meaning, and a full comprehension of his ideas. Some latitude will therefore, I hope, be vouchsafed to a working man in such a dilemma, whilst descanting on the labour question, who, if he cannot make his meaning plain, will at all events make it as plain as he can. Considerable attention has been given to the ten hours question in your columns, and much good has doubtless resulted therefrom ; although I scarcely think that the right chord has been struck, the remedy in my humble opinion being to a great extent in the hands of the miners themselves. Appealing to the better feelings and! philanthropy of men will frequently be attended | with some profit ; but then, on the other hand, j self-aggrandisement so predominates, as to bean \ incentive in the most of men to either purchase ! labour, like anything else, as cheaply as possible, \ or to eke as much of it out of their fellow-mor-tils as they might deem practicable. Rather should the working man be urged to turn his thoughts inward, and to consider whether the ' malady under which he sometimes groans is not of his own creating, and the cure still in his own keeping. Attempts to extort from or impose upon the working man, cither in the way of a diminution of wages, or an increase of working hums, are seldom resorted to without regard being had to his circumstances. The advent of the “ hardup” man is often looked for, work in many cases being actually suspended until ho makes his ap- i pearance, it being well known that the labour j of a necessitous man is easily cheapened ar.d his I working hours .protracted. Eight hours’ labour j is as much as one man should give to another. It is covetousness and tyranny trying to impose upon need and helplessness, when more is demanded. At the same time, I think it is incompatible with reason to say that eight hours is the utmost limit of a man’s energies, that his vigour and power of endurance cannot he sus- j tained beyond that duration. The fact of so many employers exacting more than that number of hours’ labour from their employes leads to the belief that such is not really the case. If eight hours’ labour produced as much as ten. men would not be required to work beyond that time. To determine the precise amount of labour a man is capable of sustaining,—to define with any exactitude the daily capacity of human exertion, —arc matters not easily ascertainable, men being so differently constituted. But miners need fear no oppression if they look to themselves. Working men should resolve never to be poor. Poverty is not only ridiculed and scorned, as Doctor Johnson has truly observed, but it is a tempting object for the selfishness of men to work upon ; and a constant butt for the weapons of oppression and cupidity. Adversity sometimes overtakes men who have done their best to avert it ; yet I am afraid that hut few miners come under this category. Of vital importance, then, is frugality to the working man. and the miner especially. Aye, even pcmiriousness is better than prodigality—the digger’s bane. Without any desire to instil a love of greed, I say, Let the working man recollect that when he is without money, he is in a measure without freedom ; he has not liberty of choice ; he is obliged to take the first thing that offers itself to him, —to work for a man perhaps for whom he has no liking,—and often to resort to a species of work which is distasteful to him. Reckless as miners are as a body, they have, no doubt, their moments of thought, of self-com-munion. and of unavailing regret at valuable time lost and hard-earned money uselessly spent. Unfortunately, their reformation is generally but short-lived. “Necessity's sharp pinch” teaches them prudence, but the lesson is too often but transitory in effect. They soon forget that money is power,—that it endows a man with strength and influence : with strength to resist “ the oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely” ; with influence sufficient to withhold his labour, until lie is satisfied that he will he fairly worked and paid. Dili Communists amt Red Republicans strive to improve their own individual interests, instead of looking after the welfare of the society to which they arc attached, they would soon cease prating about the equalisation of property, the rights of man. and such-like ravings. If the miners of this district had that portion of their earnings which they have so lavishly squandered, an over-amount of labour would not be required of them as wages-men. “ Merit never yet failed its meed.” Respect will always he had for sobriety and carefulness ; and where there is respect, there will seldom be an unjust demand. Beware then, 1 say to the working man, of reckless prodigality. Be careful and thrifty, and you will have no cause for complaints about long hours and small wages. You will not then be the dupe of vulgar prosperity ; you will he a ruler, instead of being ruled ; you will bo sought after, instead of having to seek. The labour of

a steady, persevering man will be in demand when that of the thoughtless, improvident one remains unemployed ; for the simple reason that confidence and depetidence can be placed in. the man of sober habits ; whilst the manners and disposition of the other preclude any certainty of his rendering a regular and efficient performance of his work, and he will therefore be the cause of ever-recurring doubt and disquietude in the mind of anyone who might employ him. Besides, the advancement of self-interest is compatible with the well-being, and is to the advantage, of society generally. Unless I am greatly mistaken, this district is even now suffering from the improvidence of its inhabitants. Success in a community, as in an individual, cannot be expected where there has been so much recklessness as to the present and such indifference as to the future. Haply, had a large number of the inhabitants of this district learned “ to save rather than to acquire,’* disappointment to enterprising men, and the frustration of practicable and remunerative works, would not have ensued. And if miners would do a little less drinking and a little more thinking, they would soon find themselves able to participate and assist in many undertakings, devoid of the dread of being over-reached ; they could often benefit themselves, and others at the same time ; murmurings and accusations would not be so commonly heard amongst them ; and they could then speak of the “dignity of labour” with the assurance that they would not be jeered at and derided for so doing. lam, &c., A Miner.