COAL TROUBLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 July 1926, Page 2

COAL TROUBLE.

[Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.] BERLIN, July 4. Air Frank Hodges addressed a German Aliners-’ Conference at Saarbruckeu. • He urged the adoption of an international agreement for the sale and distribution of coal. He appealed for the reduction of tho German miners’ eight-hour day to the British level. The German miners refused to agree to tho hours proposed. They pointed out that the English and German miners’ hours could not be compared, as the German hours, no'v included the time spent in reaching their work. LONDON, July 4. The “Daily News” says: There arc now imports of foreign coal which are checking the decline in British manufactures. Engineering firms carrying on are using imported materials, hut the orders for all products are generally slackening off. The Bradford textiles .are suffering slow strangulation.

THE IMPORTED COAL. GOVERNMENT FINANCE. LONDON, July 5. The Government will shortly present in the House of Commons supplementary estimates covering the purchases of coal from the Continent, in order to safeguard essential services. It is hoped this will be merely a book-keep-ing transaction, as the coal is being sold to the companies concerned. RIG DOCK STRIKE. . ANTAVERP, July 5. Fiftc.'wi thousand dockers have struck here, demanding five francs extra pay per day. There arc 250 vessels held up. Chaos threatens the port.

NEAV AVAGE NOTICES POSTED. LONDON, July 3. Though the majority of the coal owners will not post any notices concerning new wages until - tire Eight Hours’ Bill is passed by the House or Lords, the AATirwickshire coal owners have offered to reopen the collieries with the wages of the men working on a subsistence arrangement not being changed, and the wages of the piece workers being 10s 8(] per shift; coal getters and timber men 9s 9d; and fillers 8s Ski. All these are rather more than the pre-strike rates. Aleetings were held of the AVarwicksliire miners on Sunday. They carried resolutions against accepting the owners’ offer. Notices are to be posted in Yorkshire which are likely to he based on the pre-stoppage wages, except for the withdrawal of the extra percentage formerly paid to niece workers. The Northumberland, Durham and Scottish coal owners arc undecided. J. H. THOMAS’S ATTITUDE. LONDON. July 4. “ I am not ashamed that .1 grovelled fqr peace.” said Air J. 11. Thomas, ALP., iir his first speech since the general strike, delivered at the animal Railwaymon’s Conference. “The vulgar abuse of me and of other leaders will not ho a substitute for round the table negotiations. I am most confident that there are the germs of an honourable settlement in the Coal Commission’s report.”

It would- he blind and foolish, lie said, to achieve a submission through starvation, nor -would, mere slogans bring industrial peace, which did not lie in that direction. LONDON: July 5. The “ Gazette ” states that discord has - arisen in the inner councils of the" National Union of Railwayman. Air J. H. Thomas strongly objected to the draft of Alderman Dobhie’s Presidential addresses, attacking the Government sarcastically, and describing Air Baldwin as “an English gentleman and a hypocrite.” Alderman Dobbie refused to alter it. THE CRISIS OF THE STRUGGLE. LONDON, July 4. The Secretary of ti e Aliners’ Federation, Air A. Cook, speaking at AA T idnes, said: “ The strike will be won or lost during the next fortnight.” They would have to stop Hie railway employees from handling the imported coal. A settlement could not he discussed while the Eight Hours’ Bill remained. If the men accepted longer hours, they would have to get a new secretary.