BRITISH MINERS’ INQUIRY

Hokitika Guardian, 12 May 1924, Page 1

BRITISH MINERS’ INQUIRY

AUSTRALIAN AND N Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION LONDON, May 9. The report of the Court of Inquiry on the British coni mining industry says:—“lt is really ail undisputed fact that the coal agreement of 1921 failed to provide adequate wages in many of the poorer districts. The real issue is far more fundamental. The miners assert that they are entitled to secure full living wages for all engaged in the industry, primarily out of the total profits. If these are inadequate, it rests with tho mine owncis, by altering the organisation of the mines, and the disposal of the produce, to increase the amount. If the wage available is still insufficient to pay a living wage, then the character of the mining industry, which is the Inundation „f all the other industries in the country, requires that other and far more fundamental measures shouhl he adopted.”

The Court says:—“We are not concerned with the merits of this contention. It is a political question.” The Court are unable to express an opinion in regard to the economic possibility and effect of increasing tho price of coal, or reducing the costs sufficiently to enable the miners’ present claim to he met, buT, from the figures before the Court, it appears that, under the present conditions, the profits in particular districts are unable to meet the miners’ claim fully. The owners showed their aggregate profit for the whole of the coalfields from October 1921. to December 1923. to have amounted to £37,318,000. It estimated that had the miners’ present claim operated during this period LT02..100.000 additional wages would have been paid. Tn any ease, the Sankcv wage of 2s per shift would alone cost annually as much as the whole profits for 1923. The report suggested a resumption of the negotiations, with a view to a modification of the terms ol the. 1921 wages agreement, which appears to offer immediate and practicable menus of effecting a new wages agreement. The opinion is expressed that u provision for a minimum wage should have precedence over the distribution of profits, hut the committee cannot specify conditions regarding the basis upon which that minimum should l>c fixed.