WEST COAST COAL TROUBLE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2664, 27 November 1923, Page 4

WEST COAST COAL TROUBLE.

SHALL THE LAW BE ENFORCED. In this Dominion we are supposed to be governed by a law of Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration, designed to prevent, strikes and lockouts, yet in face of that we find some five coal mines on i the West Coast have been shut down for a period of ten weeks. No work has been done; plant and capital are lying idle; workmen and their families are being expected to live on doles meted out to them from a strike, or lockout, fund. What is most serious is that from present appearances it seems as if the direct parties to the dispute and the Government, as representing the public are disposed to let this condition of affairs run on interminably.

We are advised by some critics that we ought to “sympathise with the under dog,’’ which, in this instance, means that the Miners’ Unions that are registered under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act should be allowed to set the Act aside and name a tribunal of their own, other than the Arbitration Court. In our opinion that would only be attempting to settle one trouble by invoking another. If the miners, whilst registered under the Act, repudiate its provisions, then all other Unions, and the employers as well, could justly claim the same power, so we might .say good-bye to the whole system of conciliation and arbitration. Our entire sympathy is with the bottom dog which, in this instance, as in other strikes, and lockouts, is the general public. It is the public that will, in the main, have to foot the bill. At present, instead of being allowed to work our own fnines, we are being forced to rely on supplies from outside'the Dominimi and that is already affecting the trade of companies other than those engaged in the dispute. We are strongly of opinion that this state of affairs should be brought to a head by some more drastic action on the part of the Government than has yet been taken. That the law of the country is being set at defiance is plainly evident. The Government has done all that could be expected of it to settle the trouble by means of peaceful and helpful meditation only to find its recommendations turned down. The Government has, we understand, taken legal advice as to whcthci any action lies, against, the parties to the dispute for the acts they have committed. As these ads have involved the public in serious loss it is only right that the law should Im. allowed to take its course. It is not because we want to see the miners or the employers punished, hut rather that (he case should he brought into Court for the purpose of having the fads disclosed by judicial examination. There have been so many expavte statements, both from industrial and political motives that the matter is being looked upon its if it were a mere partisan struggle in which the public is little concerned. Our contention has always been that in these industrial disputes the public is the third party, and as vitally concerned as either of the other two parties. The essence of* our industrial law is that it shall not he left solely to the immediate employers and labour unionists to carry on conflicts without, regard to how these affect the public. In the instance of this coal stoppage the Government should find a means ol compelling the disputants to consider and respect the public interest. It has been said from the. one side that the miners compelled the owners to close down by enforcing a “go slow” practice; on the other side it is asserted that the “go slow” was not practiced, though a ballot in favour was carried to force a conference, but the employers closed (he mines as a’punishment to the miners. Both parties wore hound by an Award of the Arbitration Court and' on the clear fact of the stoppage of the industry that Award is made of no effect. The Award lias been broken and we maintain that an action should at once be. taken to determine who is responsible for breaking it- If the employers have taken the law into their cwn bands without due warrant or regard for any interest other than their own, then that should he made clear by a judicial pronouncement, and if the miners have broken the Award without concern for anything but. their own will, that should likewise be pronounced upon by the Court.

If each industrial disputant is going to be judge and jury in their o-wn case, and carry out their own verdict, then it is utterly ridiculous that such parties should have any protection of our industrial law by way of registration thereunder. If these industrial conflicts arc to be conducted outside the law let us understand it so, but if they are to be within the law then instead of postponing legal procedure in order to placate grown up men as if .we were dealing with children the law should be enforced insofar as it lias application. 1

One Minister of Labour in New Zealand said “you cannot have Arbitration and strikes together” but evidently we have reached this ridiculous position. We appear to -be for the Arbitration Act (re registration) and against it at the same time.

A remedy for this state of affairs is urgently culled for. (Contributed by the N.Z. Welfare League).