The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1909. A SORRY CHRISTMAS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2692, 23 December 1909, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1909. A SORRY CHRISTMAS.

It is deplorable at thus festive season to have to chronicle the condition of affairs that exists in New South Wales as the result of the present coal strike. At a time when, but for this industrial conflict, our neighbors across the Tasman Sea would have been enjoying one of the most prosperous seasons on record, they are passing through one of the most trying experiences that has yet fallen to their lot. Climatic vagaries are bad enough and it is hard to endure with equanimity the losses inflicted by drought, but it is ten times more irritating for the community to have its industries brought to a standstill because a combination of unionists have suddenly decided to cease work. The recognised leader of the unions, Mr Hughes, M.P., has been at great pains to declare that whilst the rival leader, Mr Bowling, favored a general strike and in fact an appeal to force, ho was entirely opposed to such drastic steps. Mr Hughes is credited with having so far "prevented the general strike, and he claims to be an enemy of those who would make war upon society. He insists that he is not now trying to create chaos. He wants to bring order out of chaos. Quite so, but the “order” that Mr Hughes desires is identical with the surrender of the community to the inner circle that plunged Newcastle into this fatal strike. As the “Sydney Morning Herald” says: He is the strategist of the strike congress, and lie lias boasted of the beauty of the scientific strike. By means of it the supply of coal is being steadily reduced, until it is reaching vanishing point, and the Government obliged to import many thousands of tons to keep going the services of the State. Mr Hughes will have nothing to. do with a general strike, but it is coming by his methods just as surely as though he had vigorously seconded Mr Bowling from the commencement. As a matter of fact the coal lumpers have made a virtue of necessity by .striking. They have been given less and less coal to handle, untu most of them have seen idleness ahead a s surely as the daylight’ ’of to-morrow. “Why not strike, and have done with it P” they have argued, and so the dramatic kicking of the congress into a corner has been acomplished. As much may be said of the wharf laborers. Steamer after steamer lia R been laid up, and more must follow. The general strike is upon them just, as certainly bv Mr Hughes’s engineering as by Mr Bowling’s bluster. (So of the carters and carriers; it may be said that every factory closed has brought the evil day of no "work nearer to them; and much of the supposed enthusiasm for a genera 1 strike has arisen from a sinking heart.

It will be seen from the foregoing how it is that although a general strike has not been declared trade is fast becoming paralysed, and the news camo through yesterday that North Sydney was in darkness through the gas supply

having failed. Meantime the Government has taken the action it should have taken earlier and'is doing its best to ensure a supply of co&l for the promotion of general industries. As the mine owners and employees failed to take advantage of its offer to mediate the Government has ordered 50,000 tons of coal from abroad. There is going to be a great deal of danger—there will probably be bloodshed —when the new supplies are landed and brought into use.. The miners will see their livelihood' threatened with every ton that comes from Calcutta or Cardiff, and the Government in self-de-fence may have to supplement the first 50,000 tons with another 50,000 tons to maintain the average of 5000 tons per diem required to keep the principal services going. • Risk has to be faced at every point guarded by unionism, and it remains to be seen whether the community will shrink and lie down at the bidding of the strike leaders. Unless something intervenes there are terrible time s ahead for New South Wales for every laborer who handles imported coal will need military protection from the State. To again quote our Sydney contemporary:— “The fight which is to be waged in the' near future will be against revolution; and it must and will be carried on wherever the public liberties are threatened. The liberty to work must first be guarded, and employers of labor who are dealing with public utilities will have to take risks when the free worker, or the disillusioned unionist offers his services. This applies especially to the colliery proprietors in the north, south,and west. Beyond all these it ‘’plies to the Government, which must show itself capable of organising defence at a hundred threatened stations. A challenge ha s been hurled at the Commonwealth authorities in the resolution calling upon volunteer unionists to withdraw from the various regiments, and to cancel their oath of allegiance to the King. This will not affect the rising temper of the people of New South Wales, except to stiffen them to a greater determination, but it should warn Ministers to be ready. They are dealing with a revolution, incipient, maybe, but still revolution, and that kind of thing is not well managed with drawing-room measures.