BRITISH MINERS.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 May 1924, Page 3

BRITISH MINERS.

LATEST CABLE NEWS

.A 11X K!; .S’ XATI OX A LIS AT IO X HIM,, AUSTRALIAN AND N Z. CAnt.r. ASSOCIATION LONDON. ALiy Hi. Tho nationalisation of tho coal miner was discussed in tho Mouse of Commons, when a Labourite, Mr George Mall, moved tho second reading of tin:

Nationalisation of .Mini's Dill, provid- ' inn for transferences of mine.-; and minerals to a Minin'; Council of 2' inemliers; ten to no appointed by the Crown, and ton by tlit- Miners' Eederniion, under a Min : -t''r rf .Mines, tip. pointed by the Crown. The Dill provides for the purchase of the mines, hut not for the payment of royalties, for which no compensation would be given.

.Mr Mall stated that there are sis persons drawing royalties of over half a million pounds yearly. This was more than 3n(X)ennl miners received. Mr Samuel Hubert*, a Conservative, moved the rejection of the Dill, lie instanced cases where, he said, nationalisation had resulted in losses, includin'; shipping and railways in Canada, and shipping in Australia and .South Africa.

.Mr Roberts dei-'arcd that the British coal export trade had enormously increased under private enterprise. The Biil proposed a leap in the dark, a rash and disastrous experiment. Sir Beildoe Bees, a Liberal, seconded tho motion for rejection. Mr Shi n well (Labour) said that, while recognising that the country had not given n mandate for the nationalisation of the mines, the Movcrninent wholeheartedly accepted the principle of the Bill.

Mr Lloyd (ieorge repeatedly interrupted the Labourites, mid declared that the coal owners’ profits went back to the industry, while the losses were taken out of the public funds. IL was not nationalisation. but a ggantic coal trust, such as Mr Sidney Webb lmd denounced as the "Black Tiger." The only difference was that the Bill created a “lied Tiger.” Me agreed that the milling conditions were most, unsatisfactory, and was sure the Mouse would not examine in a oartisao spirit any broadminded proposal, to improve the lot of the miners.

The second reading of the Bill wa rejected by “ill to Hi'b The Liberals' vote was split.