MINERS AND PREMIER

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 166, 9 April 1921, Page 7

MINERS AND PREMIER

AN ABORTIVE CONFERENCE

APPEAL FOR RESUMPTION OF PUMPING

SOME STRAIGHT TALK

fly Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright (Rec. April 8, 10:30 p.m.) London, April 7.

At the conference between the Government and the miners, the Premier strenuously appealed for the resumption of'pumping. Mr. Smith, miners’ representative, declared that the owners gave every workman notice, including the "safety men." There could only be a truce if every man went back on the old terms. He charged the Government with tricking the men into an agreement in November, and backing up the employers on the present occasion. Mr. Lloyd George said after Mr. Smith’s declaration it appeared to be of no use saying any more. The Government’s main interest was the nation’s. It was not true that the Government was forcing any scale of wages. The Premier, emphasiseda that what was more serious than the flooding of the mines was that the whole industrial existence of the country was threatened. He wanted to emphasise that if those repeated strikes continued the industrial position of the country will be absolutely destroyed. Mr. Smith retorted: It is of-no use our bargaining about this. We have got to get a national wage, then we can talk about the "safety men." Mr. Lloyd George: I understand that a. threat to destroy the mines is to be used to force the owners and the nation to capitulate. I think the decision ot the Miners’ Federation one of the gravest mistakes in psychology ever made by the leaders of a great organisation, ami shows a complete failure to understand the psychology of their own countrymen.

The meeting- was abortive, the miners declining to order the pump-men to resume on the ground’ that if it did so it Would surrender its only vital bargaining weapon.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

OWNERS PREPARE NEW WAGES SCHEME. London, April G. The "Daily Chronicle” states that the Miners’ Executive thinks that if it issued an order to man the pumps it would not be obeyed by the men. The coal-owners prepared a new wages scheme in anticipation of the confer'ence. It offers better terms to adult day-men. —Aus.-N.Z. ; Cable Assn. RAILWAYMEN TO SUPPORT MINERS CONSULTATION WITH TRANSPORTERS ASKED FOR.(Rec. April 8, 9.50 p.m.) London, April 7. The railwaymen have decided unanimously to support the miners, and, have asked for an immediate consultation with the transport workers.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.