THE COAL MINES DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 3, 29 September 1919, Page 6

THE COAL MINES DISPUTE

STATEMENT BY THE OWNERS A LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER CALL FOR GOVERNMENT ACTION The following letter was addressed to the Prime Minister (Mr. W. F. Massey) by Mr. \V. Pryor, acting on behalf of the New Zealand Coal Mine Owners' Association, on Saturday:— SirI am instructed by the executive of 111 is association io wrue you wifcn reference to the representations made to you in the House of representatives on Thursday evening with regard to the above matter. It appears to have been forgotten by the speakers that everything that could reasonably be expected of them has been done by tho coal mine, owners, having due regard to their own interests and the interests of the general public. It will be remembered that a conference lasting more or less continuously from August 1 to 13 was held between the representatives of the New Zealand Coal Mine Owners' Association and the New Zealand Miners' Federation. At tho conclusion of that conference the coal mine owners intimated that although they couljd not adopt the suggestion of a national agreement owing to the widely varyijig conditions in tho different mines making that impracticable, they were prepared to offer a further bonus which would increase the earnings of the mine workers of tho. Dominion by from .£125,000 to .£150,000 per annum, and would necessitate the raising of the price of coal by from 2s. to 3s. per ton. Thiis offer was refused by the Miners' Federation, and in view of the already high rates paid and the absolute necessity oi passing on any extra cost to tho consumer, tho coal mine owners fdlt, and are still strongly of tho opinion, that the circumstances do . not justify tho public being asked to pay more for their coal supplies.

Following tho conference, you and other Ministers went exhaustively into the matter separately with the representatives of both sides, and presumably also with the Government experts, and eventually, as representing tho National Government, and as was 6tated iu your letter of August 21 to the ACliance of Labour after the Cabinet had given careful consideration to the mattora submitted to it, you recognised the difficulties in the way of arranging a national agreement, and that the offer made by tho employers was a fair and reasonable one. Your reply also showed condhisivcly that the offer mado by the employers was sufficient to comply with the terms submitted by Mr. Hampton, the principal spokesman of tho deputation from the Alliance of Labour, as to tho relation between the rates of pay offered and the increase in the cost of living. 9

Since the publication of the repfy of the National Government, the miners, without a'ny opposition from tho executive of the. Minors' Federation, have adopted the "go-slow" policy in most of the coal mines of the Dominion', and in this way nn attempt is being made to compel tho coal mine owners to submit to demands which they claim to have proved to bo unreasonable, and by illegal nnd reprehensible tactics to impose upon tho peoplo of. this Dominion a further increaso in the cost of living which in view of all the circumstances must bo admitted to be unjustifiable. ' Having thus lengthily stated the position, it. should bo pointed out that tho dispute has. resolved itself into a contest between "direct action" tactics, and tho adoption of constitutional means for a settlement of the dispute. In reality it means that the question is whether the advocates of "direct action" or the gov- ' eminent of this country are to control the method by which industrial disputes aro to be settled. . Tlio coal mine owners are of tho opinion that no good purpose can bo served by their- agreeing- to a farther conference. 1 They submit respectfully that having already been nut to an ex*pense of at least .£I2OO in connection with this dispute attending meetings of the assoeiati m and the conference alwe referred to. and having conceded everything possible in -their desire to secure settlement to the satisfaction alike of the National Government and the general public, they should not now be asked to meet those whose action shows tliev are determined to secure by force what they,know they cannot secure ly other mean's.

lii other words,, the employers look to Government and the public generally to support them in the attitude they have adopted in opposition to the advocates of force and direcTaction.

While that is so, it does not follow (hero are not the menus of securing a settlement o'f tho dispute in a way which should meet with general approval, and at the same time provide for the mat-, tors in dispute being dealt with by means of conferences. I am prepared to -undertake, that subject to an immediate resumption of the normal output in all tho mines, that with two or three exceptions where defiliite'unexpired periods are provided for in the agreement, or there are contracts let for certain specified work, _ this association will -waive any technical objections there may bo with regard to tho termination of existing industrial agreements. , ~ That being done, it will enable- the miners' unions of the Dominion to take action under the provisions of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, nnrt thus secure a conference at eacli inino bv moans of tho conciliation councils wli'ich will be presided over by the respective conciliation commissioners. ft is likely also that even the two or three mines' referred to above will fall into line -eventually, but, if not, the Miners' Union couTC take action under tho War Leprislalion and Statute Law Amendment Act.. 1918, to secure amendmcnts'ol those agreements if such amendments can be justified. Acceptance of this proposal would bo adopting the constitutional method for the settlement of the dispute, and would as above indicated provide for a conference at each mine with the respective conciliation commissioners as chairmen. . ' Tf tho representatives of the miners are not orenared to accept this nroposal, they nlncii themselves in the position of refusing to adopt the means provided by law for tho settlement of industrial disputes, and must: accept the responsibility of nenaTTsinpr flic whole community in their effort to inflict upon this country tactic? which all reasonable people must decry.-lam,:etc. <wiLWAMmm