THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1872.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 120, 27 February 1872, Page 2

THE Thames Guardian AND MINING RECORD. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1872.

Jf any of tlic Gold-Miners of the Tliamos are discontented and would seek the Australian fields in order to improve their condition, they had better, before taking such a step, peruse the Australian journals to hand, which appear to us to indicate a state of things not at all satisfactory, We are told that hundreds of working men are out of employment in Sydney and Melbourne, ami the rate of wages is not at all higher for those who arc in employment than it. is in New Zealand. All things considered we believe New Zealand to l>e the better place for the working man. Many of the mining companies in Victoria have lately reduced wages, and the miners at Sandhurst have determined to form an association to protect their own interests. In doing this they are of course quite right, but we are afraid they will not be able to withstand the universal law of demand and supply which regulates the labor market all over the world, and which m> legislation or combination on either side can materially alter. The laborer is entitled everywhere to get as much as ho can for his work, and the employer has an equal right to have his workdone as cheaply as possible. In a new country like Victoria labor must, for many years to come, command a comparatively high rale of wages, but if men will hold out for more than their employers can afford to give it is no wonder if men arc out of employment, as they appear to be in Melbourne and Sydney. We publish in another column an able article from the Ballarat ‘ Miner’ which goes into the question at some length, and argues that the miners of Sandhurst are right in objecting to the reduction, but points out that a lower rate of wages is not always an evil, because it gives a larger scope to enterprise and so causes a new investment of capital. It will, we think, be a difficult matter to convince the working man anywhere, that lowering his wages is likely to be a benefit to him, and if this problem has to be solved in Victoria at the working man’s expense, we would advise the Thames miners to await the solution of the difficulty before taking themselves away. So far we have avoided contests between labor and capital on the Thames, and both have so far worked well together. The rate of wages is nothigh at the Thames but it is .sufficient to provide the necessaries of life, and have something over for all in regular employment, and there are not many anxious to work who are in compulsory idleness. VVc fear this is not the ease in Australia, notwithstanding the large yields from Tnmbaroora and other dirtricts. Our Ballarat contemporary says that hv means of co-operation, the miner might open up many lodes which arc now neglected, and thus convince the holders of money that it would he wise to invest. This may he all very true, but miners who have no money will have difficulty in obtaining the means to carry on their co-operations until gold is struck. In quartz mining, it is almost impossible to succeed without capital, and in this it is quite different from alluvial digging, and in any contest between t he miner and the capitalist, the miner is more likely to go to the wall than the other, fc'o far therefore the Thames may he congratulated on having no such bone of contention, at nil events at present, and long may it be before she has. The real working man is so far master of the situation, and as an increased area of country is opened up, so will his services in crease in value. There is no occasion for him to run away to Australia, and not much encouragement there for him if he does go. We trust that no brilliant accounts from over the water—unless they are substantiated most thoroughly—will induce any man in steady work here to make tracks for any Australian E! Dorado in the face of reduction of wages on the one side, and Miners’ Association on the other. Whilst wc arc on the subject of mining'

combination avo may snv wc should like to see one “ Association ” established hero without further delay, and that is an “ Accident~Fuhd Association-” on the necessity and needs of which we wrote at some length not long ago. We then pointed out that the small sum of sixpence per week for each working miner would raise a fund sufficient to meet all contingencies, taking the average rate of casualties and that if unamity were displayed in the matter, the details could easily bo arranged. We again invite the attention of the miners to the 'question, hoping that something definite will he done in a matter of very great importance to them, and, indeed, to the whole community. The diggers are the most valuable class of men amongst us, and anything that can he done for their comfort and welfare, and which will conduce to attach them to the soil, ought not to he neglected. The estahlishnu n f . of such a fund as wo have suggest d will, wo feel confident, he productive of the very best results, and we leave it at the present with every confidence that it will he cordially taken up hv the miners, and the public generally.