WELLINGTON NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 11 February 1920, Page 1

WELLINGTON NOTES

(Our Special Correspondent)

THE COAL DISPUTE,

DEADLOCK CONTINUES

WELLINGTON, Feb. 6. The refusal of the Mine Owners’ As-

sociation to recognise the Alliance of Labour in its negotiations with the Miners’ Federation seems likely to hold up the, dispute between the parties lor some time longer. The owners arc quite definite and determined on the point.

“While the Coal Mine Owners’ Association is prepared tp arrange for conferences with local unions,” they say in their last communication to the Federation, “it definitely declined to recognise any outside body as one with which negotiations should be carried on.” They contend they have done everything within their power towards bringing, the present unsatisfactory state of affairs to an end, even to the length of making concessions far beyond the just claims of the men, and they are not 1 going to stultify themselves now by open negotiations with an outside body whose right to appear in a representative capacity is entirely unknown. THE MEN’S CASE. , The men’s case appears to stand much where it did after the abortive conference of August last. Since then, however, it has been prejudiced by the development of the “go-slow” policy and by the indiscreet utterances of some of its advocates. Mr.Arbuckle, the Secretary of the Federation, who made quite a favourable impression upon the public during the early stages of the August Conference, is now, rightly or wrongly, being held mainly responsible for keeping the owners and the miners definitely apart. Be this as it may, there can be no doubt that the widespread inconvenience anti loss suffered through the short coal supply has prejudiced, a large body of public opinion I against the men. It is not that the public grudges the men .the better conditions they are demanding, hut it strongly resents the methods by which they are attempting to enforce their .demands.

. A WOBBLED MINISTER. . Meanwhile the Prime Minister, fresh from the constituencies with the largest majority he ever lias had in Parliament, is being worried as he never before has been worried in his ministerial life. The Mine Owners’ Association having said its last word to the Miners’ Federation has turned over the coal problem to this unhappy man. He must stand between the miners and the consumers and determine what is to be done to prevent the shortage developing into a famine. Then ho is at loggerheads, as nearly as may be with his old friends the farmers. Wool and meat growers are dissatisfied with the Government’s handling of their produce; cheese and butter makers are displeased with their prices and shipping facilities. Now on the top of the protest against the Samoan trip conies an angry denunciation of the dispatch of an armed force to Fiji to suppress what Mi: Harry Holland persists in regarding as a legitimate demonstration against intolerable labour conditions. IMMIGRATION.

With admirable courage and questionable discretion Air ALassey has chosen this particular moment to announce the Government’s immigration policy, which provides for the introduction of a large amount of skilled and unskilled labour at a very considerable cost to the State. That the labour is required there can be no sort" of doubt. Farm labourers, carpenters, bricklayers, and miners, with a preference for married men, are the immigrants most desired, and they, are assured of their ability to command high wages under the very best of conditions. “Land women,” who assisted in keeping agriculture going in the Old Country daring the war are to receive free passages, and domestic servants—who of course ought to have been styled “domestic helps”—are to have free passages and £2 in their pockets besides. On the whole the scheme is an, excellent one, but already it is being assailed as, a design to introduce cheap Labour and so discomfit the unions.