COAL TROUBLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 July 1926, Page 2

COAL TROUBLE.

[Australian & N.Z. Cable Association

LABOUR VIEW. LONDON. July 2G. Speaking at AValsall, Mr Cook announced the Miners Executive had decided to call a miners delegate conference for 30tlv July in order to review the position. Ho declared he did not desire to oppose the will of the miners, if they desired to work an eight hours day, hut lie would resign before he would carry out instructions to sign an agreement to that effect. CRITICISM IN PARLIAMENT. LONDON, July 26. Mr Baldwin, in the House of Commons, said that if the coal dispute were not settled, it would' he necessary to summon Parliament each month for the renewal of the Emergency Regulations.

Mr Lloyd George moved to reduce the Mines Department’s estimates in order to draw attention to the present position of tho coal dispute. He said that he lmd two reasons for raising tho question. The first “whs imminence of Parliamentary recess, and secondly there was the possibility of lan honourable settlement through the clergy’s intervention. For the first time, the Miners' Federation had agreed to accept the decision on the outstanding issues of a joint committee with ail impartial chairman.

This was a startling concession, said Air Lloyd George luul it would he a grave disaster to lose this opportunity. The terms necessitated a limited continuation of a subsidy. The cost of the stoppage at present was estimated at from fifteen to twenty millions weekly. At tho worst, the subsidy which the Churches now proposed would not exceed half a. week’s loss. The Government was faced by two alternatives. The first whs the owners’ policy, which would continue strife on coalfields indefinitely. The second was the Churches’ policy, which would put the industry on a sound footing, with tj’.e miners’ hearty co-operation.

Mr Baldwin replied that many people retained the impression that there must, in any case, bo n considerable subsidy. It was most important to repudiate such a suggestion in churches’ proposals. He believed that the dispute could be properly settled by arbitration, but arbitration that would ho dependent upon a State subsidy to f he industry could not be accepted. The coal industry had already had twentythree millions of subsidy. The Government luid offered to accept the Coal Commission’s report to obtain peace; but its offer had failed. Nevertheless tlio Government liad introduced b'gislation to carry out all the Commission’s recommendations, except two. Mr Baldwin said lie believed that tlie parties were at present in a better position than-previously for either direct negotiations or for arbitration. The Government was ready to do its utmost to help to this.end. Mr Ramsay MacDonald said that the House and 'the country would receive Mr Baldwin’s statement with profound dissatisfaction. AVhv did not the Government stand out of the negotiations till the owners had shown their a.and? Instead the Government had handed the weapon of extended hours to the owners. In other words, it hail given them “knuckledusters.” Then it asked the miners to negotiate with them. Mr Lloyd George’s amendment was defeated' by 338 votes to 152.

COST OF THE STOPPAGE. LONDON, July 2G. In the House cf Commons, Mr A. -Samuel (Overseas Trade Secretary), replying to Sir Harry Brittain (Conservative) said that the total losses to Britain’s industries owing to the coal stoppage might aggregate one hundred and fifty millions, or even more. This included the mining industry’s own losses of forty millions.