WELLINGTON NOTES,

Hokitika Guardian, 30 July 1918, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES,

MINE OWNERS AND MTNE WORKERS.

THE DEADLOCK

(Our Special Correspondent)

(Delftvod in transit). WELLINGTON, July 22

The official statement issued by the Coal Miners’ Federation in reply to the manifesto of the Coal Aline Owners’ Association puts the case for the men very strongly ami seems to place the employers upon the defensive. Tiie Federation has sho.wn in plain figures that in spite of the advance made in their pay since . the commencement of the war the miners are substantially worse off now than they were in the time of peace. In 1914 their average wage was 16s 10]-d a. day and working 240 days in the year a man could make £2Ol ids 4d. This year the average wage is 19s IOJd a day and the annual earning £238 13s. But while the average earning has increased £33 10s Bd, the average cost of.living of a miner with a wife and three children lias increased £74 3s Kkl, so that the man is actually £33 Ss 2d a year worse off than lie was before the war. MEN’S POINT OF VIEW.

If this is really the position the men have a reasonable claim for consideration. They maintain that 210 days' work are as many as they can put in during the course of the year. There are 52 Sundays, 25 pay Saturdays, 17 holidays and 30 days for accidents, sick ness, breakdowns of machinery, lack of shipping arm so forth. It is said that ‘•speeding tip”, which is repugnant to minors everywhere, . would seriously imperil the safety of the mines, ami that already the New Zealand miners, ton for ton .are prodoing a higher average of coal than arc any other miners in the world. Tile men further claim that while the price of coal to the public since 191.2 lias enhanced by from!is to 14s a ton in Wellington and by still more in oilier places, the rate for hewi"g lias increased by only 4J*d a ton.

THE EAIPLOYERS AND THE GoVVERNAIF.NT.

The coal mine owners have not vet bud an opportunity to reply to the statement of the men, but it is expected they will adhere to their former contentions that the agreement entered into between the men and themselves must be respected and that the men, if they like, may largely increase their earnings by taking fewer holidays and hewing more coal. What the profits of the mine-owners may lie no one outside their confidence can say, but one might judge from their present attitude they would be very glad for the State to take over their properties at an equit able valuation and run them as national concerns. Nothing of this kind is likely to happen in the immediate future, but the Alinister of Mines lias quite made up his mind the production of coal is not indefinitely going to keep the country in a state of anxiety and unrest.

TRAFFIC ACROSS COOK STRAIT.

The official announcement that “purely as a matter of precaution” it is deemed advisable ships navigating Cock Strait should do so during daylight hours, has given rise to all sorts cf wild stories concerning the perils lurking for shipping in the narrow strip of water between the two islands. But the public reluse to be in the slightest degree alarmed by the stories. Travellers go to and fro just as they have done for years past, utterly unperturbed, and grumbling only at the high fares and the length of the journey. But passengers proceeding south from Taranaki. W anganui, and Hawke’:; Bay districts are placed at some inconvenience by the. trains not commoting with the ferry steamers, and business men are com pla iuiug of tlii* earlier closing of the mails ; but these are minor matters and people will readily adjust- themselves to the altered arrangements.