CABLE NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 April 1921, Page 2

CABLE NEWS.

COAL TROUBLE.

BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSN., COPYKICIIT. AUSTIIAEIAN ANl> N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. RAILWAYMEN UNANIMOUSLONDON April .. The railwaymen of Great Britain unanimously support the coal miners. The railwaymen have asked for an immediate consultation with the trimsport Workers’ Federation. LOCO MEN START TO STRIKE? LONDON, April flf. - Despite Mr Bromley’s (Secretary),/* recent -allegation that the loco me" were for a conference the Locomotive' Men’s Society have decided to support the miners. They will go to the extent of instructing the branches to refuse to work any traffic to and from the collieries. They will also refuse to remove anybody whom they consider to be blacklegging into the mining areas. The Society will also consider a. withdrawal of its labour if ,th p Triple Alliance strikes. POLICE USE BATONS'. LONDON, April 8. Tn connection with the coal strike further disturbances occurred at Cowdenbeath, last night. The police force used their batons to disperse the crowd. The crowd broke shop windows, and halted the contents. MINERS AND LLOYD GEORGE. NATIONAL AGREEMENT FIRST NEED. LONDON, .April 8. All the conference between the Government and tho coal miners, Mr Lloyd George strenuously appealed for a resumption of pumping. Mr Smith, a miners’ representative, declared that the owners had given every workman u notice “including “safety men,” to the effect that there could only be a truce if every man went back to the old terms.

Mr Smith charged the Government with tricking the men into agreeing in November and with now backing up the employers on the present occasion. Mr Lloyd George said, after Mr Smith’s declaration, that it appeared to be of no use saying any more. He asserted the Government’s main interest was the nation’s. It was not true to say that the Government was forcing any scale of wages on the men. He said he emphasised that what was more serious than the flooding of the mines was that, the whole industrial existence ol the country was threatened. He wanted to also emphasise that if these repeated strikes continued, the indusrial position would be absolutely destroyed. Mr Smith retorted* “It is no use our bargaining about this. We have got to get a national wage. Then we can talk about ‘safety men.’ ”

Mr Lloyd George:—“l understand that a threat to destroy tho mines is to be used to force the owners—and the nation—to capitulate. I think the decision of the Miners’ Federation one » of the gravest mistakes in physiology ever made by the leaders of a great organisation, and that it shows a complete failure to understand the physiology of their own.countrymen.”

FURTHER DETAILS. (Received this day, at 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, April 9. ' At a late hour the Premier made a further effort to reopen negotiations in a speech on the motion for adjournment in the Commons. He said Government’s position is that the question of pumping and the safety of the mines must be considered before any other question. Government had no objection to summon a conference at any time to discuss it, provided it lie made clear that in Thomas’s word that it be disposed of before any other was entered upon. The Premier added that discussion would be impossible with large bodies of men as was the case in the previous discussions. He suggested that a few representatives from each side lie present. Henderson in 1 nomas’s absence remarked that the Premier’s proposals for a discussion on safety first, was very different from the earlier demand that the safety men return before any discussion begun. He suggested the Premier places iti written proposal before the Miners Federation on Friday morning.

TRYING TO REOPEN. (Received This Day at 9.45 a.m.) LONDON, April 8. In view of reopening negotiations the Premier lias announced his readiness to discuss the drainage of the mines provided the miners agree to settle that before other questions. GETTINC SERIOUS. UNITED SERVICB TELEGRAMS. (Received This Day at 9.45 a.m.) VANCOUVER, April 8

A London correspondent states that the Triple Alliance has announced that a general strike starts at midnight on Tuesday. ■ The King has called out the reservists and volunteers for active service. STATEMENT BY HODGES. (Delayed.) (Received This Day at 9.45 a.m.) LONDON, April 7. Following a meeting of the Miners Federation, Hodges issued a statement that he was always ready to meet the owners with a Government representative present. It being clearly understood that we shall press for a national wage pool. Thomas has issued a statement that the Railway Union has unanimously decided that the miners were justified in refusing conditions offered, feeling that the accepta.no would be the begin- • ning of a general attack on the working class condition, and an attempt to reinstate a pre-war standard. Therefore they have called an immediate consults, tion with the Transporters Union.