COAL TROUBLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 June 1926, Page 2

COAL TROUBLE.

[Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.l WORKERS’ ATTITUDE. LONDON, June 23. The conference on Friday of the Trades Union Congress, which was to have been held on the question of the general strike, will be postponed in order to formulate a settled policy of resistance to the Government’s action. The Trades Union Congress has issued a statement to the effect that the General Council of the Congress and the Miners’ Federation consider that the postponement of the conference is imperative in order to adopt a united policy for resisting the Government’s action to the utmost. REORGANISATION BILL. LONDON, June 23. The Minister of Alines, Colonel Lane Fox, in the House of Commons, moved the second leading of the Alining Reorganisation Bill (as cabled yesterday). He said that many things in the coal industry were not ripe for legislation. This Bill did not contain a full list of the Coal Commission’s deconuncndations, blit only contained those that could definitely and easily be carried into effect. AVlicn dealing with the proposal as to colliery amalgamation. he contended that the Labour Party’s amendment for the unification of the mines was really another nan,ie for their old friend nationalisation, which, he said, the country had rejected. This Bill did not mean that the Alinistrv would not deal with all the Commission’s recommendations in turn. s Mr \ r . Hartshorn© (Labour) moved a Labour amendment. He declared that this Bill would not have the slightest effect on the coal -industry's difficulties. This Bill was merely an empty pretence. Mr Hartshorno asserted that forty per cent, of the mines had undergone a post-war revolution, producing at a low cost, an output which was dominating the market and determining prices. Not only was unification necessary,' hut control of selling prices. Until that was done, any subsidy to the coal owners, any reduction in wages, or any increase in the hours would not prevent all the benefits from going to the consumer without helping the great mass of the unproliathle stuff found in Hie industry. Labour’s idea of unification was the bringing of the efficiency of one part of the industry into the other losing part of the m--5 dustry, which represented fifty-eight , per cent, of the; whole. One part of • this losing section was beyond redemp- . tion and it ought to be lopped off alto- | getlier. He appealed to the House to [ abandon its prejudice. ALr Lloyd George expressed the opin- . ion that Air Hartshorne’s speech had created a, new situation. One grave omission was the Government’s refusal to deal with the purchase of the coal royalties.- If the Government owned , the whole of the mineral rights, it would he in a position to exercise strong pressure upon the refractory owners.

The miners’ representatives urged the Government to adopt Air Hartshorne’s suggestion for a. Parliamentary round-table conference. Air Duncan Graham (Labour, Lanark), said that if the miners were compelled to go hack without a fair deal, he would be prepared to instruct the men to limit the output, in order to compel the public to pay a higher price, which would allow the miners to be paid a fair wage. In the House of Commons, Sir L. AA’orthington-Evans, replying to criticism of the Government’s coal measures, pointed out that any pi p could apply for a scheme of amalgamation, which could be put- into operation compulsorily. He referred to Air V. Hartshorne’s suggestion for a roundtable conference. He said the Government would gladly meet in conference any one of the miners’ authorised to negotiate. Previous negotiations had broken down because the negotiators’ hands were tied. If Air Hartslfome were authorised for it. the Government would be delighted to meet him immediately. Air Hartshorne’s amendment,to the Bill was rejected by 336 To 147 votes. The bill was then read a second time. LONDON. June 23. Tn the Commons, Mr Baldwin was asked if the recent speeches of ADChurchill and Lord Birkenhead (previously cabled) represented the Government’s attitude towards Russia. Air Baldwin replied: “Put that on the order paper! ”