THE WELSH COLLIERS.

Waikato Times, Volume VIII, Issue 449, 3 April 1875, Page 3

THE WELSH COLLIERS.

' Mr W. Mftttieu Williams writes to the " Daily ■ News " to give his testimony as to the character of the Welsh colliers, derived from experience gained while he was engaged in the management of works for the raising and distillation of coal in Flintshire. Mr Williams has no hesitation in asserting that for provident habits, sobriety, gentleness of disposition, and faithfulness to their employers, the average character of these colliers is considerably higher than of ordinary London artisans. " A large proportion of the older men," he says, " are the owners of small freehold and leasehold properties on which they have built their own cottages ; these are comfortably furnished and commonly include a small, highly varnished, and scrupulously dusted drawinging room, in which the collier's piano, the bare idea of which has so greatly astonished the snobocracy, is usually a prominent object." Mr Williams asserts that it is a delusion to connect the recent high price* of coal with the high wages of the collier. The rise began as a consequence of an" increased demand in thu iron -trade, and some other branches of coal-consuming manufacture. * At first the whole increase of price was obtained by capitalists ©ngaged in the coal trade" as an addition to toeir. profits ; this>naturally attracted more capital to the colliery enterprise, and then, and not until then, the com- - petition between capitalist* for the additional labour demanded caused the colliers' wages to rise. • Prices roSe, profits rose, and wages rose. Prices are now falling to some extent, and the enormous ' profits are less enormous, but Mr Williams holds the time has not yet arrived for the fall of WagQS. That time will not arrive until tKd px-ofits of ceHiery proprietors and other capitalists in the coal trade have fallen so far below the average profits of corresponding trades as to diminish the capital-now invested in colliery enterprise, either by -withdrawing or diverting it into better investment!.