HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 December 1927, Page 2

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

fAustraln../ & N.Z. Cable Assoeiat’.'u.) LONDON. Dec. 8. Mr Cunliffe Lister briefly explained the sale of his own and his wife’s interests in the collieries. The present difficulties of the coal trade should not be exaggerated. The output at

present was above 1925. Unemployment in the coal trade was 258,000 in July, 1925, and now was 223,000. The fguture depended on the recovery of general trade. The prospects of British industry had improved and was impioving. Tho Government had never guaranteed prosperity of the coal trade, hut the eight hour day had improved its chance of reducing the working costs by 21s 8d per ton.

The Ministry of Labour are establishing a small committee to arrange tho transfer of miners to districts where employment is available. The possibility of migration to Canada for seasonal employment will be considered. Lahorr when in office, brought the coal industry to the verge of bankruptcy by an impossible wages agreement, which meant the uneniployent of half a million, instead of two hundred thousand miners. Labour wos responsible for the general strike which lost ns our foreign markets. It’s only coal policy was nationalisation. .'’Oik'll would not improve things, but only thrust the indusry upon tho State. Mr Lloyd George said it was inexcusable that Air Baldwin on 16th November did not promise to intervene in the dcfbnte on our second greatest industry. The Government in August. 1926. gave the industry two years to put its house in order, but nothing had yet been done in the direction of reorganisation similar to Germany’s. Our pits were working at a loss and our exports were down in most markets.