The Grey River Argus WEDNESDAY, September 1, 1948. MINING EDUCATION VERSUS FAULT-FINDING

Grey River Argus, 1 September 1948, Page 4

The Grey River Argus WEDNESDAY, September 1, 1948. MINING EDUCATION VERSUS FAULT-FINDING

WHEN there is talk of using the big stick upon workers because of disputes, it is a safe bet that their product is in urgent demand. Admittedly it would be desirable to avert stoppages upon issues which are capable of adjustment by negotiation, and in the case of the Waikato dispute, the established machinery ought to be used, in preference to a course entailing loss of wages and production. The contention of the miners, however, is that they are resisting a departure from established procedure. While there might be something in Mr Holland’s claim that publicity would bring public opinion to bear, he does not detail his further recommendation that there ought to be a penalty imposed. Meantime, coal that would by this time have been consumed remains to be used later.

New Zealand has a limited eoal supply, and in this respect is not in nearly as good a position ae Australia. Our mines have to be worked at a maximum since it became impossible to import from Australia, where a shortage of manpower, and a doubled demand for eoal for manufacturing, has left no margin for export. Australian mining interests, despite their sale of every ounce of production, are uneasy at the loss of our market, and may be yet expected to seek its recovery. To increase production there; many big developmental projects are in hand. A plan to open new pits capable of yielding four and a-half million tons a year has been launched by the Government of New South Wales. Private interests are concentrating upon the development of half a dozen new' mines. In Queensland millions of money arc at present being invested in high quality open cut mines, -with a view to placing coal back into Australia’s export trade. New Zealand’s output doubtless would be greater if there v r ere more manpower, and the case is similar in Australia. Where eighteen thousand miners shoulder the work which a few years ago was done by twentythree thousand. Men are not entering this industry because they find in other ones more attractive positions. There is especially a lack of youths for the Aus,tralian collieries, the occupation being looked on vuth disfavour. For that reason it is not the acme of wisdom in New Zealand for politicians to talk about using the big stick. Australian mine managers,, on the contrary, having to put adult workers in jobs formerly done by youths, are realising that something is needed to improve the status of the miners. The great .Broken Hill Proprietary Iron and Steel Company, for instance, has begun a scheme for | the training of recruits on specific i lines for the coal- industry. In j

this a leaf is being taken from the book of coal interests in Britain, Holland, Russia and America, where such ventures are stated, to be successful. The objective is to convert the miner from a half-naked hewer with a pick into an overalled mechanic with a spanner. Industrialism in other directions has done the same thing by means of mechanisation. It is found that production can best be increased and cheapened by bettering the condition of the workers. The Broken Hill Proprietary scheme will render its graduates proficient in elementary geology- instead of unskilled workers; they will be in structed in chemistry as related to gases and ventilation; and learn about electricity with special reference to high and low tension transformers, flame proof equipment, .electric locomotives of battery or trolley-wire type, and kilowatt metres. They also are to learn traffic control by shunting and -signalling, also engineering on all types of boring, loading and cutting machines, braking motors, wheel sets and' Diesel locomotives. They further are to be trained in safety technique for prevention of shot firing accidents; in the study of boring apparatus, and finally in industrial law, so as to be fully conversant with the Coal Mines Act provisions and special .rules. The new State mines in New South Wales are to undertake a similar scheme, in the hope that training will end the bad reputation of mining as a field of employment.’ There may not be as great inducement in New Zealand for such a thorough scheme, since export trade is not anticipated, but Australian mining leaders icertainly look forward to the day when colliers again will carry coal all over the -South-West Pacific, in which there are nowhere else coal deposits to compare jn value or extent with those of Australia