The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1929. THE MINING STRIKE.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 November 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1929. THE MINING STRIKE.

I iru coal-mining strike which overshadowed Cloudily and Tuesday, presented all the elements of a serious' struggle. Fortunately, wiser counsels prevailed, and a prompt settlement was reached when it as found tho country was on the threshold of a semi-national strike. The original trouble at tho lilackball mine arose over two nonunionist engine-drivers. It was thought on Tuesday week, when the union, by a small majority voted to resume worx on condition that the men joined up that the disagreement would end. The union had fixed a time limit within which the two men were to rejoin and pay their dues, hut the payment was not made within that time. At a meeting on Wednesday ol last week tim members of the union decided to insist on their original demand, that the two men in question he replaced as engine drivers by others acceptable to the union. Tho Coast miners decided to act in consort and a general strike began. .It was then that wiser heads met together, and a settlement was s.oon reached, and the strike was “off.” It seems surprising when the

difficulty' could be settled so promptly at the tiling of climax, that in the ear!iei stages of the difference the same good' sense could not be shown. In these coal min ng matters, it is dear that the cardinal principles of trade unionism hold sway, and there is the right to expect the employment of only union men if so required. The Company .appears to have been in error in attempting to force the position, and that attitude was resisted by the unitiir officials. There was not any occasion to abuse the situation, and if common sense had been used at tlfe outset, as was brought to bear in the end, there was no occasion for the threatened ' serious dislocation which cumd about. The matter appears so simple on the face of it, that it is ' surprising .the major force of unionism had to be brought into effect to settle the dispute. Working under an industrial award the Company has the same obligations as the workmen to observe'the terms of labour. For good or ill the men are now handed generally in unions, and the law accepts suc h asso. iations, and gives preference to unionists. Tt is the same with most industrial awards. The organisations therefore have rights which they are hound to protect and uphold, or the system of strength they enjoy thereby would break down. The position appears to have been so obvious in this case that the occasion of resorting to a strike was stupid, and it would appear that the Company as the initial offender must take the major blame. Probably it was because of this fact, that the visiting director of the Company, charged with the settlement of the affair, took the proper view lie did and met the views of the union officials so readily. All’s well that ends •w’ell, hut it does seem regrettable that the resource to strikes should he so ready. The machinery to deal with industrial disputes appears to require a good deal of power to set it in motion, with the result, that those concerned take the power into their own hands, and attempt to settle, it tliejr own way. These rough and ready means are far from satisfactory. The history of strikes in the past, and the experience of them in the present, do not suggest a strike as the sanest method of settling differences. In the present case at Blackball very little was involved actually, but it cost thousands of pounds to remedy the situation which was created—besides creating an additional feeling of enmity between the parties. We see in Australia. ab-o. how strikes carry on almost indcfinilolv, imposing great loss on all con-’orned. and doing greater national harm. It is regrettable that there should be so much at difference, or apparently so great a difficulty in understanding the point of view of each other. The arbitration law is intended to meet all cases of differences. hut those not pleased with a decision are too rendv to flout it. Industrial peace, it will ho admitted on all sides, is the first essential to prospering limes, and without it there is unemployment with all the misery and loss created by such an experience. There is the call for a hotter understanding. and more consideration for mutual views. This liapnv issue is a long time in arriving, and events such as the Blackball incident rather delays the arrival than assists it.

Tu k mu in highways authorities for 11 10 district are insisting substantially in the arterial road improvements. The Ao. 12 Alain liigluvays district comprising the Ruilcr, liuingaiiua, Grey and Westland Counties had the benefit of the expenditure last year of an expenditure of £8,864 in construction works, and £03,687 in maintenance costs. There are in all 348* miles of original main highways and 145 miles of secondary highways, or a total of 493 j miles. These figures indicate that a large amount of work is being done, a fact borne out by a tour of the roads. Hie class of work now being performed is giving a much improved standard of road. All highways are invariably of good width, and are bridged and cut verted, As in the ease of cue main south road, the general policy is to bridge all the screams, and that programme is iii hand now for every crossing between Hokitika and Waiho Gorge. The last of the major bridges on the south road is now in hand at McDonald’s Creek. With the completion of this structure, probably by the new year, the eulverting of all tne small water crossings will be put in hand, and from the Little Wanganui river south, there must be eight or nine of such crossings to be contended with. This work accomplished, w-d assure certain traffic at all stages of a flood. In 'addition the road is being widened and improved where considered necessary. Fences are to be erected at any danger points along the route so as to make assurance doubly sure where risk is at all involved. 'lbis greatly improved standard of reading must reflect itself in other directions, and feeder roads will also come in for their share of improvement. The money for all this comes in the main from motor taxation, chiefly through the customs for duty on tyres and petrol, and for the traffic fees. That being the ense, and with the main hgliways approaching a standard of effi ienev most satisfactory, some of the accruing revenue might lie available for the district roads used so extensively as feeders to the arterial roads. Motorists in general use the bv-ro-'ds, some of which are considerably in use for heavy traffic, and such should he assisted financially from the main fund for roading. There is a general demand to this end at present, and under the new transport legislation which was nut through in the dying moments of the late session, there nvght be a definite move to that end. It would be a practical relief fo'-the ratepayers of the hack blocks, where the rates have to hear the burden of the upkeep, though the roads are used for general traffic*. A reform along the lines mentioned would be appreciated.