THE COAL STRIKE AND WAGES BOARDS.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 55, 29 March 1912, Page 2

THE COAL STRIKE AND WAGES BOARDS.

Mr. Fisher's Opinion

The Prime Minister, Mr. Fisher, ta'kos more than :i political or national interest in the great'coal strike. He voiced his personal interest in it to a 'Sunday Times' , representative. "I havo dug for coal myself, and have boon engaged as a manager in connection with tho industry in the Old Country. I consider tluit the wages tho men are asking for arc quite reasonable. Tho Wages Hoard- system of dealing with coal miners is better than any other system, for it deals with tho , ever-changing conditions that crop up underground. These oomlitiotis have, to do with the nature of the country, the width of tho sennit, etc., etc., and cannot he dealt with by an arbitrary award of a court: linked, in connection with mining afl'iiirs, more especially coalmining, the Wages Hoards will always have to be associated with the court. For this reason. If a general verdict were given by the court, it would havo to bo referred to a Wages Hoard to arrange intrieato details which are changing almost ovory week.

"As r( , S"i''ls wap;os," Mr. l''islior vontinuwl, "I ('hink no man should ho asked to do ;i heavy day's work in a. mnl mine for loss tJiau 7s. I know what I

»in talking about, when 1 bold that effort proporly applied underground is more exhausting than it is in any other calling. Whoii picmvorlt was to bo done, it .should Ik- paid for *o that a fair wage would result, ai.d the men employed in (his way blmiild be so controUod by r<'giila.fio(is that they aro unablo to oveiuork iiieinselve.s lor tho ftidee of earning a few extra shillings a day. This is in tin* interests ol nvurenergetic young men themselves, and also in iho interest* ot tdieir einployors. I f«-l suro that n man could kill himself more (|iiicklv in <■<"«• mining than in auiy other kind ot wark. ,.