THE COAL TROUBLE

Hokitika Guardian, 29 October 1920, Page 2

THE COAL TROUBLE

I AUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION] A FURTHER HITCH. LONDON, October 28. The “Daily Chronicle” atates: The hitch is due to Miners’ Executice advancing some new proposals at the last moment relating to the thorny question of coal values and the time when the wages advance would be reviewed. Too new complexity is due to the South Welshmen, as Messrs Smillie, Ho Ig-s, and Smith are prepared to accept the agreement which was drawn up by the Government. The representatives of the Government consider the new proposal to be quite different to any submitted earlier.” WELSH MINERS ATTITUDE. LONDON, October 28. Mr Cook, the leader of tbs' Rihonnda Valley Coal Miners, in addressing a mass meeting of miners at Perth, said that while the men were anxious for a settlement they would rather a hundred times have no increase at ail than to accept an increase which, as that offered was only “a sop, to buv over the Miners Federation and to tic the men down to the present iniquitous system.” ' TThe question of the future regulation of wages he said, was a far too important on© to be left to merely Ivlr Lloyd George and three or four miner* leaders . ■ The miners of South Wales, as a whole, he added had laid it down definitely that real pence could only com a by the unconditional concession df the two shillings a day If there was to be any deviation from this, then it must come from the men themselves and not from the Federation leaders. The meeting then carried a resolution in favour of- the withdrawal of all labour from the mines ,on the 30th. of this month if no agreement has been come to by that dlate. COAL DISPUTE SETTLED. (Received This Day at 9.45 a.m.) LONDON, October 28tflt Official—The coal dispute has been settled. The miners executive states th c Premier will announce the settlement today.