BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 September 1921, Page 3

BRITISH & FOREIGN ITEMS.

j AUSTRALIAN AND N. 7., CABLE ASSOCIATION. ! A COAL TROUBLE, j LONDON, Sept. 2b. j The “Daily Telegraph’s” Cardiff < or- . respondent states tile (sell mines tie partment of the Board ofj Trade, i.as ' issued an order without warning, increasing owners proportion of miners ; wages to the extent of an additional I ten shillings per ton. The order, while | not affecting* actual wages, involtes j owners in a loss of half ni million stcrj ling for the current month. Cr.nse- ! qiientlv. it has been decided to dose a number of collieries from to-day. The effect of the order is described as ruinous to all South Wales collieries. Salesmen already are refusing to quote for forward business. | The Board of Trade explained to the Central News Agency that the owners misrepresented the terms of the recent settlement, which provided that, it reductions in wages were effected to a certain figure, the Government subsid- ■ ing would he granted the owners foregoing profits., I The owners omitted to observe the lat. j ter condition when submitting the recent accounts, on which the September rate of wages was based. The error was | subsequently admitted hut the owners pointed out that the Mines Department, fixed the wages. The owners attitude dues not concern the Board of Trade wages paid under th“ settlement which onlv affected until the end of September, when subvention ceases and the mines become the private property. Tf the owners choose rather to close than to pay certain wages they are entitled to do so.