THE HUNTLY MINERS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1957, 14 January 1914, Page 6

THE HUNTLY MINERS.

■vjiTiiE■■lab'our.itronble. , ■ which caused .such.-a. serious'''disturbance of the industrial life of New Zealand during the,; monthrof November and December: of last : 'year, has not yet been finally'settled as far as the coal miners are .concerned, but there is now every.indication that normal conditions will soon be restored at the mines! >In another part of this issue wo.publish a telegram which states that the Huntly miners have decided to,declare the strike off, and that eaeli man is to take his chance of securing employment. ■ A section of the men advocated a continuance of the struggle, but recent developments have made it. quite evident that the strikers cannot possibly gain anything by refusing to go hack to work; and the common sense of the majority carried the day. The Huntly settlement brightens the prospect of stable industrial conditions, and in the interests of all concerned it is to be hoped that the peace concluded will ■.be a lasting one. Miners .is a class hayo suffered their full share of the privations due to the late disastrous conflicts, and it is to be hoped that they have learned in the school of experience to estimate at their true worth the professions pi the reckless strike-promoters, to wliom in the past they have lent too ready an car. Henceforth, miners, like workers in other branches of industry, will he protected by the legislation which provides fchat every effort must be made to settle an industrial dispute by peaceable means, and that no body of workers shall be called upon t'o strike until its members have declared their desire to do so at a. properly conducted secret ballot. The wiser heads among the miners will welcome these provisions as a guarantee of settled working conditions and prosperity, and sooner or later the same opinion will find general acceptance among tho workers of New Zealand.