THE INDEPENDENT COLLIER

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10605, 2 June 1920, Page 4

THE INDEPENDENT COLLIER

North and South some colliers have stopped work. In the North a train seiVing two mines was delayed hall an hour by fog. This being unsettling to the dignity of the waiting millers, they promptly diminished the output by 500 tons. In tho South, the new agreement having given a certain addition to the pre-war wage, naturally any bomi6 paid during the war could not be expected to last when the new agreement came in. Nevertheless, the miners missing a threepenny war bonus went out on strike immediately, stopping tho public supply indefinitely to the extent of their output. Now, thq country :'i> d : sorganised for want of fuel; suffers hardship in midwinter through scarcity brought on by the paralysis* caused to industry by disputing?. When the disputings were -arranged there war? a general understanding that every effort would bo made to end the hardship and suffering. But these stoppages are without reason ; they aro capricious and heartless. In ordinary times no one would complaiir of occasional caprices on the part of men who certainly lead hard lives in pursuit of their daily bread. But in times like these the suffering public have grave reason to' complain of J:hc heartless neglect of their interests. They can reproach these miners with not playing tho game; a practice recognised as one of the prominent social sins.