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Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 276, 18 August 1919, Page 8

The Vicious Circle. Mr. Massey:" "Air. Hampton, sit down, i havo n perfect right to reply to the point of view raised. lam pointing out that the proposal you have made would increase the cost of living, lnat is our principal difficulty. . It is continuing the vicious ' oircle that we have ■ been travelling t round for the lust four or five years.' Mr. Massey added that he had been giving attention to tho subject of nataonalieation. ,Ho knew what had been going on' in Great Britain, -Air. Hampton, had mentioned tho railways. He would not be a supporter of any proposal! for trausferrin°- the- railways to private ownership, because that would create a dangerous monopoly. But the coal mines were scarcely in tho same position, ihere wore about twenty mines in the country. There was room for many more mines, (Hid so a monopoly could not arise. The mine owners had considered the demands of the miners, Tho Government had not considered them. The country undoubtedly would he in a very awkward position if every section of the community came along for an increase of fifteen' or twenty per cont. in wages. Mr.'Hampton: I want to ask the deputation lo be patient with Mr. Massey if he persists in this, line. Mr. Massey: Tho deputation is not showing any.signs of impatience. This is a room to which you havo been invited bv the Government to state your views, aiid I have never como across a deputation yet that was not prepared to hear the other side of the case, Voices: Tho other side of the ease! Reply Promised. Mr. Massey added that he was intending to speak at any length. The Government would give full consideration to lie claims of every seotion of the community, but its first interest was the country as a whale. A reply would be forthcoming to the request of tho deputation. He understood the request to. be that the Government should support tho coal miners in the demands they had made from the coal owners throughput New Zealand for increased pay and improved conditions. Mr. Hampton:' That is not altogether the riosition. I think I havo explained it fairly fuMy. We are not here to lay down any 'hard and fast conditions as to the setll'.oment of the dispul*. Our sole object in coming, and I thought; I had made it clear, is to point out certain matters that are stumbling 'blocks to the settlement of. the dispute, and to .try to devise some means of getting over them. We suggest that if a pronouncement was made by Cabinet that tho coal industry was to be nationalised, .say within twelve months, and if somo arrangement could bo niadp for dealing with tho men in Hio meantime, that would facilitate the settlement of the dispute. We have also clourlv suggested that the objection of the employers to treat the position nationally is a stumbling-block, and that tlie offer of the mine owners, not being equal to the increased cost of living, doe? not meet the position. T put my llireo points, and ask for answers to those questions. We Ihinl; that tho situation demands the fullest consideration of the Government. That is our position. We afk you to give it that consideration urgently, at your earliest convenience, and to lei: iia know what your official reply is. I thank you and tho other Ministers for your attendance. Mr. Massey: All right, gentlemen. There is nothing more to bo said at present