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Hokitika Guardian, 31 May 1926, Page 2

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END OF COAL STRIKE. MINERS ACCEPT OAVNERS’ TERMS . [“Sydney Sun” Cables.] (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, May 30. ; The coal miners are resuming, accepting the owners’ terms of pre-strike wages aiid eightiihour day. MR COOK’S RECOVERY. LONDON, May 20. * Mr Cook has recovered from the effects of overstrain. In an interview with the “ Daily Herald,” lie said “Hie longer the Government and the owners resist, tho fewer mines will bo opened, tho immediate consequences of which will be firstly a larger number of miners drawing the unemployment insurance benefit; secondly, there will be a scarcity of coal and higher prices for what is available.” Commenting on AYirley’s proposals,/“--T. he said: “ I am. sorry that any leader should mislead the Government;, owners or the public. It will only prolong the strike. I visited the coalfields soup kitchens in South AA’ales and Somerset, and the only message I got was “No compromise.” The miners could not live on their wages during April, therefore no reduction is possible. Tho miners are as much opposed to longer hours as they are to lower pay.” - A COAL SHORTAGE. LONDON, May 28. A Royal Proclamation has been gazetted declaring the continuance of the State Emergency Act owing to the continued coal stoppage. AFTER FOUR AVEEKS. LONDON, May 28. Over a million miners have been on strike for four weeks to-day, during which time not a hundredweight of coal has been raised in the entire coalfields of Britain. The men arc reported to lie as determined to-day as a month ago. Meantime the strangehold on industry is becoming more effective hourly. AA’orks are closing down daily and the iron and steel industry has been brought to a standstill owing to the blast furnaces being blown out. At Clydesdale alone more than eighteen thousand iron and steel workers have been rendered idle, and domestic coal is being most- severely, rationed over the whole country.

The train services are skeletonised and it is expected racing will be suspended next week. There will he no special or excursion trains on Derby Day and the King and Queen will go to Epsom by road. Every day adds thousands to the ranks of unemployed, and the officials are snowed under by applications for relief by those out of work through the coal strike. AVliole communities in the mining districts arc existing on poor relief. Soup kitchens are established everywhere. Rents, and rates are -unpaid and many tradesmen in the mining districts. are putting up their shutters, as they are unable to givo any further credit.

The greatest efforts are being made to spare the women and children. Funds have been opened and are being generously supported by tlic owners. One owner sent a cheque for £IOO. Miss Sybil Thorndyke and others who have issued appeals for the miners, have received £IOOO from the Farm AVorkers’ Union, and many contributions have been received from abroad. Germany sent £SOOO, C'zecho-Slovakia £IOOO, and Austria, Holland, Belgium and Jugo-Slavia several hundreds each. Strike pay is still being issued,, varying from one pound to five shillings weekly.

A disastrous colliery fire Bargoed, South AA’ales. The. fusing gn" an electric wire caused ignition of napthalene. Flames lit up the whole valley. The damage is estimated at twenty to thirty thousand sterling.