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Hokitika Guardian, 10 June 1932, Page 5

TifE Dominion again has a considerable portion of its trading community held up by the stoppage in the coal mines which has caused a general hold-up in most of the important coal mines of New Zealand, It is very unfortunate that at the present time when, there is such a dearth of employment, that this stoppage should take place, affecting, as it doe/s, more or less, almost every person Jn the community. The mine owners appear to 1 vc taking up a very firm attitude in the placing of their demands; while the minors unions attitude is equally firm, tin* two making the prospect of a lengthy stoppage possible. . The parent time appears to be one specially unfortun to to force matters there bring too ninny unemployed at this trying time without adding turtlier to that number. Jt is a recognised truism that a l>sing strike i« never justified, and a winning one never necessary. The po ition is that the miners can win no more by striking that they could by peaceful negotiation. and the latter manner has tho ' advantage of not holding up industry, and causing a general lofis- all round. Behind the dispute regarding tho dismissal of hands in the north there is tire larg'r question of the general conditions of employment in tho mines anil it is obvious that when the miners decided to strike they had the larger negotiations in their minds.

Moreover, every dispute, however trivial, in these days hay a background of general industrial unrest and uncertainty, and for that reason it is of the utmost importance that negotiations should, be conduced with tact and forbearance. The sooner the heads of the two dissenting parties get together to (settle their differences the better it will bo for them both and the general public.