BRITISH LABOUR CRISIS.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 April 1921, Page 3

BRITISH LABOUR CRISIS.

CABLE NEWS.

BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT. A CONFERENCE TO-DAY. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, April 9. Official.—The Government have »r- ---' ranged for the Miners’ Federation to meet the Coal Owners on Monday to resume negotiations. MINERS ARRESTED. (Received this day at 8 a.m.; LONDON; April 9. Peter Chamers, a miners agent in Midlothian, and two miners were arrested and charged with riotous behavious at certain collieries. I THE COMING FIGHT. RAILWAY COMPANIES PREPARED (Received This Day at 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, April 10. Railway companies are not unduly alarmed. A considerable number of employees are expected to remain loyal enabling a restricted service to be maintained. A SEAMEN’S BALLOT. - (Received This Day at 8.30 n m.) LONDON, April 9. The Seamens and Firemens Union w.ll ballot on the Triple Alliance decison. ARCHBISHOP’S PRAYERS. LONDON, April 9. The Archbishop of Canterbury has issued an appeal for special prayers on Sunday for a spirit of counsel. racing postponed. (Received This Day at 8.30 a.m.) f ■LONDON, April 9. The Newmarket and Exeter meetings fixed for next week have been abandoned. SHORTAGE OF COAL. (Received Tins Day at 8.30 a.m.) . LONDON, April 9. Palmer’s steel works at Jarrow have been closed down, two thousand being idled. THE MADNESS OF IT (Received This Day at 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, April 0. Water is rushing into Glamorgan collieries at the rate of three ‘hoiisand gallons per minute. It is feared tie pits, which are the most rnoderniy equipped in Britain, will be closed fur ever. . . ... There is now only one pit m hiieshire, where pumping is proceeding. Hostile miners compelled volunteers to desist. THE COUNTRY’S CALL. A GREAT RESPONSE. (Received This Day at 8.40 a.m.) LONDON, April 9. Proclamations calling up reserves and appealing for volunteers for new defence units have been posted in prominent , positions. "This excited the keenest in- : terest, and an interesting scene reminiscent of war time. Crowds .occupy the streets and the stations of the railway show the greatest activity. At the AVar Office from an early hour queues of volunteers for defence units foimed. At Whitehall the rush to join greatly exceeded expectations. Attestation officials throughout the country were | inundated with applications. i The War Office has issued a state- ( ment that the response by volunteers s in London and provinces is exceeding all expectations. Volunteers included bun- , dreds of special reserve officers, and a'so retired officers. Defence units receive , regular army pay. Mid-war activities prevail at Aidershot camp. Town reserves are streaming in and naval reserves are flocking to Portsmouth and Chatham. There is a steady flow from station to barracks. ] Portsmouth last night recalled the outbreak of war, buglers parading the ( streets and sounding the assembly.

The King’s Proclamation was screened at theatres and cinemas. Among those doing a week’s regulation drill are a number of miners who in ordinary circumstances would have returned to their homes to-day. Two hundred naval stokers left Portsmouth for South Wales. A notice was issued stating officers and men of the na/al reserves and naval volunteer reserves, are free to join defence units or other national service organisations. NEGOTIATIONS PROCEED. _ LONDON, April 10. Official—The Miners Federation is notifying branches of the unconditional resumption of negotiations with the coal owners on Monday, and urge members to abstain from action, interfering with the safety of mines or likely to necessitate Governments use of foice.

LLOYD CEORCE’S TERMS.

FOR SAFETY AGREED TO

(Received This Day at 9.45 a.m.) . .LONDON, April 9

Successive meetings of the Triple Alliance were held from morning till midnight. There was a debate on the developments of negotiations between labour leaders, acting mediators and Hon. Lloyd George, the latter adhering to the conditions that the safety of the mines must be ensured, before wages were discussed. Either the pumpmen return to work or a compromise whereby the miners guarantee not to molest volunteer pumpmen. The Miners Federation resisted the compromise, de,pite the pressure of the leaders of the railway and transporters, but eventually accepted realising that dissension among the rank and file of the railwaymen and transporters regarding a sympathetic strike and the danger of the strike collapsing, owing to hundreds of thousands of unemM ployed being anxious for work.

COMMONSENSE TO PREVAIL

(Received This Day at 9.45 a.m.l ' LONDON, April 10

Mr Thomas in an interview, said the resumption of negotiations was a triumph for commonsense. The right atmosphere had been created, and we must maintain it.