MINING QUESTION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10272, 6 May 1919, Page 5

MINING QUESTION

PRESENT-DAY POSITION

Australian and N.Z, Cable Association, LONDON. May 3. .

Mr Sidney Webb, the wcll-Known economist, giving evidence before the Coal Commission, urged the nationalisation of the coal mines. The whole system of profit-making was now upon its trial, and there certainly would bo trouble if any attempt was made to revert to pre-war conditions. It was a cold, but incontrovertible fact that, usually, it costs,less jtp.compensate for accidents than to prevent'them. -This was one of the faults of the profiteering system, but it should not be considered an indictment against the coal owners. (Received May S. 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 3.

Mr Sidney Webb, under cross-exam-ination, admitted that he did not possess figures substantiating his assertion that it was cheaper to give compensation for accidents. He quoted a. Home Office report showing that an accident in one mine was due to Inadequate timber, and contended that this single instanco justified the general assumption that coal owners refused to provide adequate timbering owing to the cost being higher than that involved in giving compensation for accidents. He believed there would be fewer accidents under nationalisation owing to the elimination of profitmaking motives. Mr Webb declared that colliery managers were shockingly destitute of ideas. Nobody connected with the coal industry had considered critically his nationalisation pamphlet. He had only been down a mine once.