COAL PRODUCTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 July 1919, Page 6

COAL PRODUCTION.

.VIEWS OF LABOR LEADERS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, July 10. The opinions of the Federation of Labor on coal mining problems were given to Ministers by Messrs Holland, M.P., and Semple, M P. Speaking for the Labor deputation which waited on representatives of the Government yesterday, Mr. Holland said the opinion of the federation was that all means of production, sea carriage, and distribution of coal should be in the hands of the State, and that the whole enterprise should be controlled by a board, on which there should be adequate representation of the workers in the industry. Mr. Semple said the mines in the Dominion were being "butchered" in order to get profits for the shareholders, consequently thousands upon thousands of .tons of coal were being lost. Private ownership of the coal mines of the country was a very dangerous and wicked proposition. The miners did not want the industry controlled in their interests, but they wan,ted to point out some mistakes that had been made. He did not wish the impression to go abroad that they were anxious to injure the community in the interests of the miners. He felt that the State had a duty to the miners, and that when the State had fulfilled its duty the miners had a duty to the State. The Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald, in reply, said thiit the question of State ownership would come up very prominently in, the next few months. He would be preparing a mining Bill, which he hoped would be made law. One of his schemes was to advance money to miners to work small mines on their own account, possibly in co-operative companies. As to the wage 3 and conditions of work of miners, there wouia be a conference of mine owners and representatives of the federation shortly, and ho was prepared to say there were certain classes of men in the mines whose position in regard to wages required reconsideration. He hoped that when the conference came along everybody would be in a better frame of mind and that there would be no difficulties unsettled. He had .tried to stave off the difficulties and keep the industry going, but it had often been a very hard matter. Housin;; had certainly not been tho cause of all the difficulties. At the moment it was not possible to meet all the requirements of the miners in this matter. Mr. Fraser, M.P., suggested that the Minister should form a committee of miners in the State mine to have a share in the management. The Minister replied that he would be meeting Mr. Arbuckle and other representatives of the miners shortly and he would probably discuss the matter with him.