"MR MASSEY AND THE COAL QUESTION.

Taihape Daily Times, 25 August 1919, Page 4

"MR MASSEY AND THE COAL QUESTION.

V ‘J (To the Editor.) Sir,—ln your leader on the above 1 subject you do not follow up the ques-e tion to its logi_cal conclusion. The men's delegates made three simple; statemnnts to Mr i\lassey:— 1 That the State coal mines are pay-~ iug an average Wage of 2/7 per day per manmore than the private mines are paying 2. That the State mines are selling the coal at 16/ per ton less than the private companies are selling it at.‘ 3. That, under present conditions, the output per man a.t the-State mines ‘constitutes a world’s record. New Sir, if Mr Massey could have shown that these statements were not correct, the case for the men would have failed, and their delegates would have been discredited in the eyes of [the public. 011 the other hand, if they lare correct they stand as proof posi-_ tive that the private companies areshamefully exploiting both the miners: and the public. But Mr Massey nei--ther admitted nor denied the men’s' statements; he deliberately shirkcdf the issue ‘by introducing other questions as to housing, cost of living, living wage, etc. which had only a. recmote bearing upon the question at isgsue. In fact,_ he played the political c.uttle—fish and, I suppose, hoped to escape in the dust and confusion which he had raised. But the question still‘ rc-mains: Are the miners’ statements. true or false If true, what steps arethc Government going to take to bring‘ ithe private coal companies into line‘ with the State mine in the interests, cf the people as a Whole?—l am, etc.,. i JAMES SMITH_