COAL TROUBLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 July 1926, Page 2

COAL TROUBLE.

[Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.! .MINERS AND SUPPORT. PARIS, July 23. The international miners committee concluded a private conference which merely confirmed the decisions of the Ostend and Brussels conferences as icgards the coal stoppage in Britain, confining support of the miners to verbal sympathy. Air Cook interviewed by “Humanitc” complained of the attitude of the French and German delegates. He said they savagely attacked us for accepting money from Afoscow. Americans alone supported us ill this collliection.

XEAY DE VELOPAI ENTS. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, July 24. Events are beginning to force the coal strike, which has now reached tho thirteenth week,'into prominence again. The biggest breakaway of miners has occurred in AVarwickshire where the number working is variously estimated at between three and five thousand out of twenty thousand. Afr Cook has cancelled all engagements for the purpose of spending the week-end in that coalfield. Speaking at Nuneaton, he said: “ Warwickshire is going to bq the cockpit of the fight. I do not blame the men, because AVarwickshire is the only district winch has been offered an agreement until March. Special efforts have been made to persuade the men to return. A flood of leaflets has been circulated in tlie interests of the employers, hut the majority remain. If AVarwickshire wants a change in policy, the men must say so. If it wants a conference, the Federation will call one, hut blacklegging must he stopped.” Other men’s leaders are going to AVarwickshire next week. AH- Garvin in the “ Observer, states-—“AVe have been restrained in criticism, but the time for reserve has gone. Air Baldwin and his Cabinet must act. They can and should bring the Coal Commission into life again, with power to interpret and elaborate the recommendations, and should provide for arbitration on disputed points. The more wo pay for the dispute, tho ' more decisive will be the explosion of disgust, if the Government can do no more towards a settlement than protest that everything has been clone.

CHURCH APPEAL TO PREMIER

LONDON, July 24

Ten Bishops and eleven Free Church leaders have signed a new statement, pleading with the Government to reconsider tho terms for peace ui tlio c „al industry, which they submitted to Mr Baldwin. They emphasise that tho miners’ families are enduring ( real privations and that other workers, tho Christian Churches, and the whole community suffer with them. The statement declares that the spirit of “fight to a finish” is antiChristian. They declare that no lasting peace is possible except on the basis of justice and co-operation, with adequate remuneration and humane conditions for the workers. AIR COOK AND SOA'IET. LONDON, July 23. “Izvcstia” and “Bravada” assert that Air Cook lias been elected to the governing body of the Russian Miners’ Soviet.