The Daily News. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1920. FORCING THE ISSUE.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 October 1920, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1920. FORCING THE ISSUE.

Mr. Arbuckle, the gentleman who advocated the other day the setting up in New Zealand of the Russian Soviet system, says that unless the owners of the Pukemiro mines knuckle under to the wishes of the miners, the Miners' Federation "will have to act so as to force the issue." That means throwing down the gauntlet to the owners, or, to speak more correctly, to the general community, for in this matter it is the public which is more vitally affected by the unpatriotic and unreasonable attitude of the miners than the owners themselves. The merits, or demerits, of the case need not be enquired into just now. Suffice it to say that these Pukemiro miners first demanded free train passes from the owners and struck because the miners would not give them. The miners called nut the engineers, and the mines Were in danger of flooding, and the .owners, in endeavoring to reach a settlement, asked that in any future dispute the engine-drivers should not, on any pretext, refuse to perform any duties necessary in connection with the pumping operations or the ventilation of the mine. This was a very necessary provision in the light of what took place just before. On this the Miners' Federation propose to force the issue. For months past the extremists in charge of the miners, and the transport workers have been preparing the ground for a national upheaval. As fast as one trouble, at the mines or on the wharves was fettled another would orop up. They have, kept the country short of coal and inflicted a maximum of injury and loss upon the community. Truly they have a lot to answer for. Now, evidently they think the time is ripe to try conclusions with the pnblie. If they think they will succeed, they are under a delusion. The public are "full up" to thp brim of their go-slow and anti-social policy, and will hit back at them in a fashion which may surprise them. The public have suffered so much at their hands in the past that they are prepared to endure greater discomforts and make greater sacrifices in order to bring these industrial tyrants to their senses and to a realisation of their place in the community. They will, if we mistake not, rally around the Government and do everything to assist it in upholding the rights of the State against the foolish caprices of a handful of irrespousibles, and there can be no doubt as to who will win out in the end. It certainly won't be- the Federation of Labor, with its Bolshevistic leaders.