PASSING IT ON.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 65, 7 June 1912, Page 14

PASSING IT ON.

Sir,—ln your issue of May 3, I was pleased to sco how H- Carll, of Timaru, ably pointed out who benefited most by tho rise of wages recently granted to tho waterside workers. The. same advantage is taken by tho owners ill connection with tho'coal-mining industry in this district. The local unions affiliated with tho N.Z.F.Lj. ;ha-ve. just signed a now agreement for a period of 12 months, but- all the I concessions granted wero not obtained without the miners having to take a firm stand. The W.C.C., however, seeing tho men wero determined to fight if their demands wero not conceded, decided to grant tho demands made; but beforo doing so the company decided to advance the selling price of coal Gd., Is., and ls. 6d. per ton to provide for the extra cost of production. Now, the concessions granted to tho Denniston miners will not exceed Id. per ton extra on the previous cost of production. Then why this rise in the selling price if it is not to pile up bigger dividends for the shareholders and increase tho cost of living to the worker? Tho output at tho Denniston mines averages about 12,000 tons a fortnight An advance of Gd. por ton amounts to £300, of which tho producer receives £50 at most and (ho exploiter £250 for doing nothing. Yet he tries to mako people believe any further concessions would bo tho moans of killing the industry. The workers of this and every other country mii6t organise industrially and politically, get control of the talking-sliops, and make laws whereby wo can tax tho incomes of these exploiters. I would suggest a graduated land and income tax to get at them. We would then have a path to the gate of Socialism, and the means of production, distribution and exchange would soon fall into the hands of tlio worker. —Yours, etc., Denniston. JACK BALANCE.