CORRESPONDENCE A MINER'S VIEW OF THE STRIKE.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 34, 26 January 1884, Page 7

CORRESPONDENCE A MINER'S VIEW OF THE STRIKE.

(TO THE BDITOIt.) Sir, — As the redaction of a shilling" a dny fnnn tliObe employed in the principal mines in the district is the all-absorbing-topic, I send you a few reasons why I think the Directors, Legal Manager.*, and others connected with mmmg 1 in this district, but chiefly residents in Auckland, nuke a great mistake when they resolved to lvdnce miners' wages from 9s to 8s per day. The tir.>t needs no comment, so I •simply refer you to the decrease in the value of mining stock The next thing I would draw your attention to is the scarcity of skilled mining labour in thib | district, of which the various managers were fully aware, and were taking on every good man they could get, and were hoping to g<-t a good many more after the holidays. But tie action taken in Auckland has not < n\y pr -vented othois from coming hut has driven most of the best men off the field. As to the difference in the class of labour, I would point you tn not only the loss of mis-directed labour hut to the loss of blasting materials, which is very heavy. Another reason is that the principal Companies in making the reduction are not driven to it by scarcity of means— they having considerable funds in hand. And again, if the various Directois choose to throw away the Companies' capital by giving so many thousands of scrip for the privelege of paying an exorbitant price for crushing their quartz, it is unjust to try to make their employes pay for it. I think there will always have to be more wages given here than at the Thames and other places where the men can be at home with their families every night, for here the miners arc so far away up in the hills that, the men can only go home ouce or twice a-week, consequently having to keep two houses open. Hud the reduction bde'n delayed for u year there might have been a better class, of workmen bottled hei»», and would, perhap.-., inthei luve taken the reduction th.vi move their families ; but as it is, many of the best men are gone, and there are not me.i enough left to work tlu mines, so the wa.;uo will huve to be raised to get men.

Hoping the parties first referred to wil see their error, nud make speedy amends. — I am, etc.. A Miniui.