MINERS' DEMANDS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1395, 22 March 1912, Page 5

MINERS' DEMANDS.

MINIMUM MUST BE SPECIFIED,

FAR FROM SETTLEMENT.

London, March 20. The Miners' Federation Conference, contrary to the executive's advice, passed a resolution to the effect that tho Bill would not be acceptable, unless provision was made for a minimum wage of , r >s. a day for adults and 2s. for boys, with a schedule of rates for howers. The Labour party in the House of Commons has been requested to mevo tho necessary amendments. At the start thero wero differences regarding the question of tho inclusion of a schedule for hewers, but the Welsh and Scotch delegates combined nnd carried the point by a majority of a dozen out of 110 votes. Tho conference then adjourned until Friday next. Mr. J. Haslam, Labour M.P. for the Chesterfield Division of Derbyshire, and secretary to the Derbyshire Miners' Association, interviewed afterwards, said:— "Wo are aa far from a settlement as evor." A conference of surfacemen in Yorkshire nnd Derbyshire, representing 10,000 workers, resolved that unless the Bill includes a minimum wage for surfacemen the strike will continue.

Middlesborough, Yorkshire, is importing German coal for the Relief Committee, but tho dockers have refused to unload it. Members of the corporation are divided on tho 6ubject. However, a majority has arranged for volunteers to unload the coal.

In the House of Commons, extreme Eadicala sharply heckled Sir Rufus Isaacs, Attorney-General, regarding Mr. Tom Mann's arrest, on the ground that the arrest constituted interference with free speech.

AN INADEQUATE MEASURE. OPPOSITION VIEWS. London, March 20. Opposition newspapers describe the Coal Mines Bill as inadequate and a sham. "The Times" considers that the public at present prefers a gentle solution, but possibly radical treatment will bo required sooner or later. The owners generally consider the measure- a makeshift. The masters in the federated area who conceded tho minimum wage in the autumn are discouraged. They believe tho question will be fought out again shortly. Many of tho miners regard the Bill as B\tisfactory, especially those in North Wnlcs, where thero is much distress. TROUBLE IN AMERICA. GREAT STRIKE FEARED. (Rec. March 22, 0.5 a.m.) New York, March 21. The bituminous coal operators at Cloveland conferred, without result, with the representatives of 200,000 miners concorned in the Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois wage dispute. Thero is a prospect that all the bituminous coal-mines will bo closed on April 1, and half a million workers flirown idle. GERMAN STRIKE. DECLARED OFF IN ONE DISTRICT. Berlin, March 20. The district conference of miners at Bochum, Prussia, has declared the strike oif.