CABLE NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 April 1921, Page 3

CABLE NEWS.

BRITISH LABOUR CRISIS.

BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT.

i AUST itAI.IAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION]

“FRENCH MEAT TRICES

PARIS, April S. Owing to the 11011-reduction of meat prices, despite the falling cattle values, the Food Minister has notified the butchers, that unless meat is reduced in 48 hours action will be taken under the Illicit Speculation Act. PROSPECTS ARE BLACK. deceived This Day at 9.45 a.m.) 'w LONDON, April ". I, (Delayed.) 1 The prospects of a settlement are of the blackest. It is understood the Triple Alliance has decided if the deadlock continues all members will down their tools on Sunday at midnight. 1 Government will now press forward with the utmost expedition their plans for protecting the community from evils following the flooding of mines which will vastly increase unemployment when the coal strike is settled. Even if the transporters and iui 1wayrnen strike, the Ministry of Transport is confident of ensuring that food will be supplied to the community with .the help of volunteers. Practically all who volunteered in the railway strike of 1919 will be available. Thousands of vessels will be impressed for carrying food from the warehouses • and docks. The Army Service Corps is being used as a basis of the scheme if necessary. Government to-night indignantly deny the widely circulate allegations that they are engaged in a genera] •attack on wages. They describe the charge as monstrous. Government and the community alike arc desirous ’.hat every industry should pay the best wages possible.

A WISE STEP. LONDON, April It is rumoured in the event of labour downing tools, Government will lore all licensed houses in the large industrial areas until the dispute is ended. THE pumping. LONDON, April 7. Reports from all parts of the country show that the younger miners arc bent on dragooning the officials, and volunteers into abandoning the mines, and thus force the withdrawal of all labour in the upper Rhondda Valley. Processions of 1,000 or more miners, many wearing red ribbons, and headed by bands, went to the various pitheads artel insisted on the withdrawal of the pumpmen. The irony of the situation is that the local executive of the Mbiers Federation on Monday unanimously decided that the men must continue, to tend the pumps, as the withdrawal has never been considered by the local lodges. Other big demonstrations at Swansea Valley were only partially successful ;n getting out the safety men. A demonstration by 5,000 miners at Pontypridd forced the pumpers at the Watstown colliery to abandon their work. Eight thousand gallons of water per hour are pouring into the mine. There are similar results at the Swn wickcollieries and Alfredton ; but the officials are keeping up pumping in the West Momounth valleys.

Students and other volunteers were withdrawn from all the Lanarkshire pits, and the mines have been left to their fate. In one ease the miners destroyed a turbine pump costing €IO,OOO. Crowds of strikers, accompanied by women and children, visited the pitheads in the Mid-Lochian area, and forced the pumpers to stop. At Kennel collieries Linlithgowshire hand bombs were exploded in order to scare volunteers, but material damage was not done

debate in the commons. (Received This Day at 11.30 a.in.) (Delayed). LONDON, April i Hon. Lloj’d George in the House or Cbmmons announced that failing a conference Government were relying on the assistance of the great mass of people. They must take over the means of power to meet the situation. Tire Miners Federation declined to resume the work until the two fundamental principles were conceded, namely, national wage and national pool' therefore he told the miners it would he impossible for Government to ask" for the parties to meet with the hope of settlement He frankly admitted lie was taken aback by the attitude of Messrs Smith and Hodges. Replying to Mr Henderson, the Premier said it would he a great mistake to appeal further until the miners realised that they were insisting on preliminary conditions that made a conference impossible. As the position was even if owners and miners met this morning, the pumpmen would not he allowed to resume without two fundamental conditions being submitted. D. Graham Finnic asserted the miners were willing to'hold an immediate conference with the owners without conditions. Mr Lunn believed if the parties wero brought together the men would be back in the mines on Monday.

Mr Asquith said hitherto in the strikes, miners preserved the mines as a common asset. He appealed to the executive to reconsider the position not to save the mines until 'they were conceded in their favour the two most thorny questions. If they did so he was sanguine of a settlement. Mr Chamberlain asked leave to withdraw his motion for adjournment, as Government could add nothing to w v hnt he already said, and it was desirable to proceed to other business. The debate, however, dragged on. After Messrs Henderson, Horne and - Thomas had spoken, G. Roberts said hitherto the better minded and more far-seeing members of the Miners Federation had been able to check the element which favoured sabotage. Unless they could 1 check it now the whole character of the labour movement would be changed. Tne motion was withdrawn and the House of Commons proceeded to other business.