The State Coal Mines

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 2, 8 December 1911, Page 10

The State Coal Mines

The present position 'in regard' to the State coal mines, as disclosed by the manifesto of the State' MinersUnion appearing in last week's "Worker," calls for the serious attention of the people of New Zealand. The people are nominally the owners and controllers of these mines, which are, in fact, being run by an inept bureaucracy, whose blunders and incapacity for true management and government are a byword and reproach. Had the Ward Government set out to show that State enterprise (in other words, State capitalism) was doomed to failure, it could not have gone to work more effectively for that purpose. To any fair-minded reader of tho manifesto —which we claim is a fair, reasonable statement of fact —it is evident that a man need not be a mining expert, nor even a miner, to see that gross mismanagement and incompetence have been shown in connection with tlie State coal mines. The facts set forth so clearly by the State Miners' Union add convincingly to the mass of evidence which Convicts the Government of being unbusinesslike and wasteful in its management of State Departments. Disparaging references have frequently appeared in the Australian press in regard to the State coal mines of New Zealand, and misstatements 1 have been made; but had the facts disclosed in tlie miners' manifesto been known, the criticism would have been directed, not against the principle of State ownership and control, but against the hopelessly weak and ineffective carrying out of that principle by a shilly-shally Government whose want of business capacity is notorious. The State coal mines, being a new State enterprise and department, obviously called for the best business management and most modern methods and plant, so that the object aimed ai might be realised, and coal distributed to the consumers of New Zealand at a reasonable price. Instead of which no provision has been made to cope With the influx of water, with the consequence that valuable coal has been lost and hundreds of accidents have taken place, eleven of which proved fatal. It is difficult to assign a cause for such lamentable mismanagement, except it be "sheer cussedness" on the part of those responsible. Clearly the . condition of the ' State mines should have come within the purview of the recent Mines Commission.. This evidently did not suit the Government, as any showing-up of its pitiful want of capacity to administer the great State departments is naturally not to its liking. | We challenge the Government to apj point a competent person, to inquire into the management of the State coal mines, and report on same, so that the | people, who pay the cost of its management, may know whether or not tno statements set out in the manifesto of the State Minevs' Union be correct. If this be not done, and the present condition of affairs' allowed to remain, the public will know what to think, and we trust, also how to deal with the matter. It appears that tlie life of the State mine can last but two years longer. The Government seems unwilling- to spend money on remedying the evils at ;-oint Elizabeth, in view of the opening up' of new mines. But this is bad business, and should not be tolerated. If the Minister for Mines does not immediately set his house in order he'

will raise a hornet's nest about his ears when Parliament meets next 'session. This matter cannot be allowed to remain in its present unsatisfactory; state. We intend taking such. sfce_*s an will make this question a burning ono in next Parliament, if proper attention; be not given to the complaints raised by the miners. The Government of this country will have to do its duty, or receive another lesson or two in tho management of its business from thd Federation of Labor. Will the Hon v R. McKenzie and members of Parliament please note?