COMMONS REOPENS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 September 1926, Page 3

COMMONS REOPENS

DEBATE ON COAL POSITION. [Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.] (Received this day at 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 27. In view of the seriousness of the coal crisis, there was a large attendance of Ministers and .members at the reassembling of Parliament. Sir Joynson Hicks presented His Majesty’s message declaring the continuance of tho state of emergency. Both Mr Ramsay MacDonald and Mr Lloyd George demurred at Mr Baldwin’s motion, giving the Government business preference for the remainder lof the session, the former expressing the hope that there would be an election before the House was due to meet on November 9th. Furthermore, the outlook was that the House must meet a month thence to pass further emergency resolutions. Mr Baldwin’s motion was agreed bv 237 to. 122. •Mr Baldwin speaking to tho adjuorninont, traced the recent coal negotia. tios. 1-Ie said that Parliamentary experience last year had shown that the interference of Parliament in the past had done unqualified harm. There was a general feeling that, however, grafit the difficulties of the industry it was not possible for Parliament to settle the troubles of both sides. That might be possible in times of prosperity, and rising markets but it was impossible in times of difficulty. Speaking generally, the Government had endeavoured to take the attitude of mediator and negotiator, rather than to; directly participate. Labour cries.—“ Eight hours net.’’

Mr Baldwin went on to say that ■ Sir H. Samuel’s memorandum of Mn.v 12th might have offered a Basis for jriogotitition, but had been rejected. tAJ'though the Government’s last;proposals shared the fate of many others. Government was perfectly willing they should stand for a short time. Ho would leave Mr Churchill to tell his own story. ’Hie owners declined to attend a. tripartite conference, wherein thev had acted with stupidity, and wanted in courtesy to the Government. The opposition should remember that Parliament could not make the owners open the pits or make the men go down. The result of the long stoppage had been that the ordinary business man felt ho must know where he was before he could make contracts. They now wanted a settlement bused °n something firm, rather tii-ui. what cmdd be achieved by dialetetic skil'. After twenty-one weeks, the men had practically reached the point they could have reach eel at the beginning of the strike, which was one more proof of the lamentable folly of this method of trying to settle industrial! disputes, which give satisfaction to no one except a small minority, which hoped to thrive on unhappiness and misery. Mr "Ramsay MacDonald urged • the House should declare itself in favour of a. national agreement and pass a one clause bill, declaring the Eight Hours Act will not come into force, except on an appointed day. This will knock two months off the duration of the coal dispute. The miners had believed that, the Government would support a national setti'emeiit, hut now they knew the Government would never coerce the owners. The Government had not plliyed a straight hand. Mr MacDonald asked the Government if thev were still working to smash ur> the national agreement Indistinct breakaways, and thus end the dispute. As his speech progressed Mr McDonald was subjected to interruptions and contifidietions from the ' Unionist benches, causing the Labour members angrily to ask the Chairman to call the Conservatives to order. Mr MacDonakl , concluding stated there is not a sign of the miners surrendering. Meanwhile trade is being starved, poverty and destitution is j increasing, and debts are piling up. Mr TJovd George suggested Mr Churchi 11 bshould be< allowed to get along with the negotiations he had commenced, but a settlement was impossible if the Government went skidding along the road from side to side. It was the duty of the Government to use the emergency regulations to compel the owners to accept a •''* settlement. He claimed that the G - eminent could open the pits. i was no reason, because tho owners were truculent, that the Government should be impotent. . , ~,n + \l> Churchill vigorously denied that „ he had promised the miners a national agreement. There was not the si-iit-est shadow of disagreement between himself and tho Prime MiniMm The Government had no intention of opening the pits as 3tr Llovd George suggested . 01 being led into. a course of action which would lead to 'temporary nationalisation of the coalfields. Heveitheless this' did not rule out legitimate pressure on the mine owners, "men would secure the miners a proportion of what they desired in the W ° ‘ . national structure, through ti ihunaH which would ensure district merits, that should he reviewed from the point of. view of Harness and coordination. The Government contemplated no action against the owners except attaching certain conditions to the Eight Hour Act,

Mr Churchill continued that it was essential if the Government h:ul to legislate a coal Bill that it must he presented to Parliament with the notification: —“This settles it.” Hence the necessity for a general resumption of district negotiations. Before the Government set up an independent tribunal, the Government definitely offered if district negotiations were begun forthwith it would sot up an independent tribunal with the eeitainty of a national review by a lair minded umpire. Mr Hartshorne said the miners proposals were adequate and met the whole economic situation. Ihe price of coal would be shillings up compared with present prices. There was no reason why the collieries should not be reopened immediately on a profitable basis.