BRITISH MINERS.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 May 1924, Page 3

BRITISH MINERS.

PROPOSED WAGES AGREEMENT. AUSTRALIAN AND N Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION LONDON. May IA. The confereiue of representatives of the coal owners and the miners, held in accordance with the recommendation of the recent Court of Inquiry, has resulted in tin agreement to-day on the subject of wages on terms that are to he submitted to the men’s delegates’ conference on the 2f>tli. of May. LONDON. May 10. Air C’ook. the Miners Federation Secretary says: The Executive of the Federation are not satisfied that the full proposals reached will meet the fail requirements of the men. Although it is recommending a settlement. the Executive still ladieves that the only final settlement is the voluntary unification of the industry, pooling the proceeds, or else the nationalisation of the mines. The agreement means several million pounds wages extra yearly to the miners, hilt we shall have difficulty in persuading the men to agree, as they are convinced that they are entitled to living wages equal to that of IDI-1.

SOUTH WALES OWNERS. LONDON. May IG. Referring to the proposed coal wage agreement. AH Findlay Gibson, representing the South AYales mine owners, says the minimum adds from Hid to 20d per ton to the cost of production even though the profit during the period of the last agreement for South A) ales averaged onlv Did per ton. This v 1)0 serious, as South AYales was ontirelv dependent on the' export trade and it comes into competition with European and American coal. Probably many collieries would he unable to carry on. Notices had already I wen given to threo thousand men. and probably another three thousand would he dismissed next week,