WELLINGTON NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 6 February 1920, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES

THE COAL SHORTAGE. PREMIER WATCHING THE POSITION. (Our Special Correspondent). WELLINGTON,- Feb. 2. The Prime Minister’s reply to the representations made to him by the Wellington City Council in regard to the coal shortage will bring little comfort to tbe long-suffering consumers. Mr Massey says he is “closely watching the position with a view to securing a satisfactory solution of the present difficulty.” but the opinion of the many people without coal is that the time for merely watching has passed and that the time for effective action has empirically come. Mr Massey has been urging the employers to meet the miners, but so far be has not pressed them to waive their objection to the Alliance of Labour being represented at tbe conference and asthe men are insisting upon this point the negotiations appear to be little further ahead than they were at the termination of the abortive conference some months ago. COAL 'BY THE POUND.

While both parties remain obstinate on this question of principle and policy nine-tenths of the citizens of Wellington are suffering more or less severely from the shortage of fuel. Fortunately the weather has taken a turn for the better during tho last week or two and people who can afford to cook and wash with gas have managed to get along well enough. But there are not many three or four roomed cottages, such as are occupied by the less fortunate workers, equipped with gas cookers and gas boilers, and if there were the cost would be a very serious drain upon the resources of their occupants. These peoplo are getting along as best they can with a dole of a few pounds of coal a month, grudingly supplied from the State .Coal Depot, which seems to be receiving much smaller supplies than are the private yards.

THE WELFARE LEAGUE INTERVENES.

The Welfare League, which appears to have found a congenial occupation in lecturing the employers and the workers with -admirable impartiality, takes the coal-mine owners and the miners in hand this morning. It shows no leaning -towards either side—indeed it appears dsposed to pronounce a plague upon both disputing parties—blit it calls upon Mr Arbuckle, the secretary of the Miners’ Federation to reconcile the statement he made the other day to the effect that the miners’ wages were averaging only £2 5s 3kl with a statement he made some months ago to the effect that they were averaging £3 17s a week. Very naturally tho League wants to know on behalf of the public, if the decline from £3 17s to £2 5s 3iUl is due to the “go-slow” policy- or to some further disability placed upon tho men by the employers. Now it is Mr Arhuekle’s turn to speak. DISTURBING INFLUENCES.

The New Zealand miners are not likely to be brought to a more conciliatory mood by the demands of the Australian Coal Miners Federation which are published in the papers this morning. On the other side the men want a six-hour day, five working days a week, the abolition of the contract system, a fortnight’s holiday on pay and practically every other concession demanded hv the Federation here. A scarcely less disturbing influence in the determination of the Wellington Typographical Union to cancel its registration under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act. Since the passage of the first conciliation and arbitration measure the printers and allied tradesmen have been among its most faithful supporters. Now often more than a quarter of a century’s experience of its operation an important section of them are breaking aivay. All this a winning credence for the predictions of a labour deluge.