COAL CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 169, 13 April 1921, Page 7

COAL CONFERENCE

OPENED BY MR. LLOYD GEORGE GOVERNMENT’S ATTITUDE EXPLAINED STATEMENTS BY OWNERS’ & MINERS’ LEADERS By Telegraph—Press Aseociatlon-Oopyright.. London, April 11. The conference of the miners and the owners, with the Government representatives as intermediaries, lias begun. Mr. Lloyd George opened the conference, and stated: —“We aro hero to safeguard the interests of the community by securing industrial peace. If there were only the same eagerness to share the losses as there is to share the profits we would certainly reach an early and satisfactory conclusion. The .profits were practically made out of the export trade, from which we guaranteed profits to wo owners and wages to the miners, then there has been a slump, and coal has dropped from 795. Bd. to 365. 6d. per ton at the pithead, and the markets oi Europe and South America are practically closed to business. The Government has definitely decided not to continue to subsidise the owners and miners out of the taxes or to abrogate the decontrol order. Within those limits the Government is prepared tc listen to any scheme submitted for adjusting wages and profits. The owners found that without the subsidy there was not enough in the trade to pay wages at the present scale. It was for them to show the grounds on which they have arrived at this conclusion and justifying a reduction. It will then be for the miners to state their case, not merely m opposition to the owners’ figures, but to PU >v, ° e plans for adjustitlfc the whole position. Mr. Lloyd George suggested a commit tee of six miners and six w /’ ers ., ° examino the situation, and both sides would have to face facts. The I™’ l * were there, and would remain until the world adjusts itself to present conditions-—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

(Rec. April 13, 0.35 a.m.) London, April 11. Official— Following on statements by Mr. Evan Williams (president of ths Coalowners’ Association) and Mr. I'rank Hodges (secretary of the Miners I-cdeia-tion) the Prime Minister asked to havo an opportunity of perusing the two statements when a transcript ot tno notes was ready. The conference agreei that the report of the meeting should not bo published until the parties bad been able to read the transcript. Mr. Lloyd George added that he wished io have an opportunity of meeting tho owners and miners separately as a preliminary to a further joint meeting. Ibis was agreed to. 'Pho owners will moat Mr. Lloyd George at 11 a.m. to-morrow and the miners at 12.30 p.m. Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. settlemenFexpected TURNING POINT IN TRADE DEPRESSION. London, April 11The fact, that the miners agreed to meet the owners is accepted as evidence that, the strike will now bo settled. A resumption of work at lower wages is expected to produce an immediate tall in the cost of living, with a proportionate improvement 4 *!!! wage values. It is anticipated that a settlement will be the turning point as regards trade depression The Government’s intimation that it is prepared to grant monetary assistance to tide over the wage difficulty in unproductive districts has greatly helped the situation. —Aus—N.Z. Cable Assn.

STATEMENT BY MR. CHAMBERLAIN

NOT YET OUT OF DANGER. (Rec. April 13, 1.20 a.m.) London, April 11.

In the House of Commons, Mr. Austen Chamberlain, in moving a formal address of thanks for His Majesty's message relating to the reserve forces’ proclamation, stated that the Miners’ lederation’s instructions with regard to no interference witl* pumping bad been generally followed. He feared that the negotiations would take a considerable time, and be very difficult. “We must not flatter ourselves that we are out of danger,” he said. Mr. Chamberlain pointed out that the threat of extension of the dispute to the whole transport industry had been suspended, and not withdrawn; therefore it was necessary to continue precautions. The community must show that if its existence was attacked it was able to protect itself. (Labour cries: “No provocative language!”) Mr. Chamberlain replied that, he was anxious that nothing should be said to make a. fair and honourable settlement impossible. He. urged th© adjournment of the discussion. The debate was adjourned till to-mor-row.—Reuter. MANIFESTO BY TRIPLE ALLIANCE GOVERNMENT ACCUSED OF HOSTILITY TO WORKING CLASSES. (Rec. April 13, 0.35 a.m.) London, April 11. The Triple Alliance has issued a. lengthy manifesto, accusing the Government of calculated and persistent hostility to the. working classes. “It is not an impartial arbitrator, but an active, if secret, partisan, who, while speaking of peace, behaves in a manner calculated to encourage war. In addition to calling up reservists, it has adopted the new and odious expedient of forming a volunteer force as an instrument against organised Labour. The Government, has thus assumed the grave responsibility,ot provoking bloodshed and civil war.’ Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

DISCHARGED SOLDIERS’ MANIFESTO COUNTRY TN DANGER OF BEING BROUGHT TO RUIN. (Rec. April 13, 0.35 a.m.)

London, April 11.

The Midlands branch of the Discharged Soldiers’ Federation lias issued a manifesto stating: "We are not concerned with the rights or wrongs of the present dispute, but we are concerned on behalf of the country for which we fought, and which is in danger of being brought to ,the brink of ruin by foolish and reckless action. We have already had riots in which the same ringleaders appeared who led the strikes during the war, others being foreigners desiring to see Britain reduced to Russia s condition.” —Aus.-N.Z. Cubic Assn. strike Instructions MESSAGE TO RAILWAYMEN. London, April 11. Mr. Thomas (general secretary of the National Union of Railwaymen) and Mr. Cramp (president) have telegraphed to the Northumberland railwaymen that they must strike on Tuesday unless the negotiations result in a settlement.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn» RAILWAYMEN’S PROTEST REPUDIATED (Rec. April 13. 0.35 a.m.) London, April 11. The local Railwaymen's Union repudiate the Linm Street (Liverpool) protest. A non-unionist ticket examiner aximito eending the a* the instance of

forty unionists. He states that there was not sufficient time to call a meeting of tho wholes station staff. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

[A message published in Monday’s issue stated: —Six hundred of the staff at the Limo Street station, Liverpool, telegraphed to Mr. Thomas denouncing the strike, nnd saying that the whole thing was a Bolshevik move to bring about a revolution. Tho staff demanded a ballot. adding: "We will not strike.” They also declare that the so-called mass meetings held on Sunday in favour of a strike were an absolute farce. "They were packed with outsiders,” it is asserted. "Out of 17,800 railwaymen in the Liverpool district, only 400 attended, and half of these left in disgust owing to tho Bolshevik attitude of the speakers. As British working men we urge (lie federation to take a stand against tho extremists.”]

FORTY PITS COMPLETELY FLOODED

SIXTEEN THOUSAND WORKMEN INVOLVED. London, April 11.

Mr. Bridgeman, in the House of Commons, said that forty pits were completely flooded, involving 16,000 workmen. It was impossible to forecast how many pits would bo again workable. The payments made to the coal industry during the five years ended March last were £14,250,000*. and it. was estimated that a further two millions would be required for outstanding claims. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

STRIKERS PREVENT PUMPING

London, April 11

Strikers at West Fife lust night applied direct action by drawing the fires to prevent pumping at the Blackball Colliery. The, police arrived too late, but will prevent damage being done to the machinery.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

MILITARY GUARDING MACHINERY.

London, April 11

Military police are now guarding the machinery at most of the collieries.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

MOUNT LYELL MINERS’ WAGES - o — MANAGEMENT INVITES A CONFERENCE. (Rec. April 12, 7.25 p.m.) Melbourne, April 12. With /reference to the Mount Lyell miners’ suggestion that tho wages question be referred to tho .Arbitration Court, (ho management points out that tho Court has laid down tho fundamental principle that it is better to abandon an enterprise which cannot be continued without reducing tho basic wage. Consequently the management asked the unions to meet it with the object of assisting to formulate a satisfactory agreement—Press Assn.

[The Mount Lyell Co. recently issued a statement to employees, intimating that: the loss on the production of blister copper at Queenstown was about £la per ton. The company suggested a reduction in wages ranging from 10 to 15 per cent., and that the hours of work underground at mines should bo arranged on a basis of 40 hours one week and 48 hours tho next week alternatively. It was hold that this would increase the output of ore without increasing costs. It was also intimated by tho board that unless some arrangements along the lines suggested were agreed to at. an early date they would have no other option but to dose down, the company’s mines. A general meeting of tho Australian Workers' Union, held to consider Hie position, .rejected tho proposal of the company, and carried tho following resolution: "That this meeting is of opinion that the cost of living has not decreased, and that the present wages paid are insufficient to allow of a reasonable standard of comfort being maintained. If the cimpany’s position is mich ns outlined in. their circular they should adopt the constitutional policy of making application to the Arbitration Court, for necessary relief.”]