"PIN-PRICKING "-A SUGGESTED REMEDY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 294, 6 September 1920, Page 5

"PIN-PRICKING "-A SUGGESTED REMEDY

Sir,—Surely the coal mine owners aro beginning to realise by this time that their, assets aro at vanishing point. According: to The Dominion this morning the Primes Minister remarked that the pin-pricking should bo dropped; evidently it", is easier said than done, for no sooner is one dispute settled than another is hatcEed up. Beyond nationalising tho mines—which is out of tho question—nouiing' lias been, suggested whereby an ample-supply of coal may bo assured. I believe if is quite possible for the State to purciiaso the whole of the mines, good,, bad and indifferent, at. their present value,- less 12 months' depreciation, at flie present rate of depreciation, ™r all miners' dwellings in good repair; and provide suitable colliers enuipwilly nprto-date appliances for liand--7m g. co:d, eaoh miner to take up 25 .£1 snares (this would, yield about «eiofl.oon), pav- (lie miners a libe-ral wage with the understanding that eacli must earn an additionaV .£1 share weekly, which would hear interest at current rates, each man to insure for .£SOO payable at death, and ,£IOOO against death by accident. \7hen a miner ceased to produce coal, interest on. his shares to cease. "Miners are entitled to all the coal they win, and tho only deduction made shouldTie for transport, distribution, and capital invested. Tho price of coal would, .of" course., be adjusted to meet these requirements. The whole industry being under' one management, and. that tho best, would save thousands of pounds.— T. am, etc., JOHN PLOWMAN. September 4, 1920.