WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taihape Daily Times, 30 August 1918, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE COAL STRIKE. PROTESTS 'AGAINST ROYAL COMMISSION. ’ c" , ■ t (Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 28. The resolution adopted by fne Wellington .Employers’ Association last night expressing approval of the action of the Coal Mine Owners’ Association in refusing to confer with the Coal Miners’ Fed&ption, protesting against tahe proposal to set up a Roy al Commission to deal with the question of miners’ wages during the cur rency of an industrial agreement, between the parties and “entrusting” the Government not to force a conference upon the Owner’s Association, Is meeting with a very mixed reception in the city this morning. There is little sympathy among business men with the strikers, but many Of them think the owners have prejudiced a good cause in the eyes of the public Iby persistently refusing to meet the representatives of the men in conference. They could have done this without any loss of dignity at the beginning of the trouble and by inviting a full and frank round-the-table discussion would have! disarmed much of the criticism that- is now being levelled against them. THE MINERS’ MISTAKE. *

But the owners’ mistake in this respect, if it was a mistake, is not blinding the general public to the blunders of the men. Had the miners submitted their claim for a review of the existing industrial agreement, on the matter the increase in the cost of living, without any talk of ceasing work, they would have received a very sympathetic hearing from the country. The users of coal are suffering at least as much as the winners of coal are from high prices and exploitation of one kind and another, and they would have welcomed an open discussion of the whole position. But the miners without even waiting for the Government to investigate the position took the law into their own hands, regardless of the interests of the rest of the community, and so went far to estrange the public opinion that would have been their most powerful ally in a just cause. LABOUR’S VIEW.

The feeling among the workers here is very well expressed by the resolution passed by the meeting of railway servants at Taumarunui. Royal Commissions are not much in favour with busy, practical men in these days and are popularly regarded as devices for shifting responsibility from the •ders of Ministers. Whatever may happen, whether there is a strike or not, the workers will place the blame upon the Government and give it no credit for its intervention. Their view is that the Government should have insisted upon a conefrence between the parties and that in the event of their disagreeing should have knocked their beads together and settled the matter itself. It is understood that while a minority of the Cabinet was 'inclined towards something of this kind, the majority was not disposed to take the risk of such a summary proceeding. WAITING DEVELOPMENTS. The executive of the Mine Owners’ Association is now<?sitting here considering whether the owners shall confer with the representatives of the men or whether the Government shall be left to appoint the Royal Commission. The executive is supported in the attitude it has maintained hitherto, not only by the Wellington Employers’ Association, but also by employers’ associations throughout the Dominion and it is expected it will persist in its refusal to meet the men and will discountenance the Royal Commission. Just what would happen if this should prove to be the case no one seems to know. The Government has gone a long way towards the appointment of a Royal Commission and It is being contended by many people that in the event of further trouble it must assure temporary control of the mines.