BRITISH COAL CRISIS

Hokitika Guardian, 1 December 1930, Page 6

BRITISH COAL CRISIS

WIDE STOPPAGE LIKELY.

[United Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph.—Copyright.)

LONDON, November 28

The Central Council coal marketing scheme, on which the coal owners of every producing district are represented, met to determine the tonnage of production which will be allocated to each district for the first quarter of 1931. It decided, in view of the reduced demand for coal, that the figures for the maximum output to be produced m the. various districts must be drastically, reduced, below those of the corresponding period of the present year. These figures will be communicated to the,. District Executive Boards so that allocations may be made by them among the individual collieries. Agreement was reached without recourse to the ' arbitration pocedure which the scheme provides. Miners in several of the coal districts, including Cumberland and North Wales, agreed to the spreadover scheme. Lancashire will hold a ballot on the question.

■ The immediate problem was to find a solution in South Wales. The National Wages Board is to hear an appeal from this area where .the ownera .at firSt posted notices of wage rediiotioMs to'Take effect' from Monday. The National Coal Board issued an interim rep'prP suggesting that the •South ~ Wades -find- -Momnoiithsbire owners and miners should immediately seek aii agryemept. Meanwhile, the Board adjourned ~ tbfe' hearing of the miners’- claims. If the dispute is not settled by agreement -iff should die fe--ferred- Mck to Board' for i!i - full'hearing. A joint Conciliation* Board is meanwhile attempting to settle the conditions for a permanent spread over. In the event of a failure, the matter will then he referred to independent arbitration.

Following on the Miners’ Conference decision, Hon. M Graham (President of the Board of Trade), and Hon. Mr Shin well met representatives of the miners and the' coal \owners,. after which the Government telegraphed the districts affected, by ifig them to make temporary arrangements to .continue' pending.te further meeting oL 'the Miners’ ' Conference,on December 6th. . •' . •

, ' GENERAL STOPPAGE.

AT SCOTTISH MINES. - - t . LONDON, Noveml>er 28. The Miners’ Delegate Conference has rejected applications from four coal districts for permission to work the spfi&d-bveft of- .hours. The Conference has recommended that, in the event of a steppage in any district, the other districts should consider the giving of notices; for.-.a national cessation of work. Mr Cook ’(M> nens’-.-Federation Secretary'), subsequently described the situation. as'one of the gavest. He kaid the miners of North Wales, South Wales, Cumberland, and Scotlahd, and possibly those in Some of the Midland Districts, would be involved in the •stoppages on Monday, v unless somethirfg; happened in, .'the meantime. He said the miners regarded the spread over Of hours as being a. com tinuance of the eight-hour day. V.’ LONDON, November 29. The Scottish miners have decided on a complete" stoppage as from tomorrow. - - ’ The South Wales miners have accepted the coal owners’ terms for a temporary settlement. OWNERS INFRINGE THE LAW. v .; .-" LONDON; November 29. Regarding the coal trouble'" Mr Donovan, the President of the Scottish Mine Workers, commenting, on. the Miners’ Conference’s . decison, declared that "The J coal owners’ terms were a'Violation .of, the Coal--Miners?, Act of 1930. For this reason, he said, there would be absolute unanimity among ..the miners in resisting them. The Miners’ Conference felt that it was.therefore unnecessary;-to.make any urgent-appeal to the miners.

"Mr Shimvbll, ' Secretary for "Mines, was all day long in touch telephonicallv with Mr MacDonald.

Temporary arrangements have 'been reached in AVarwickshire in Cumberland and in Lancashire. The South. Wales coal owners tonight decided to post notices on the coalfield offering a continuance of the existing conditions throughout December f with hours not to exceed 90 per fortnight.

AVELSH COAL OWNERS

CHANGE THEIR, TACTICS

LONDON, November 29.

The South -Wales miners’ acceptances of the spread-over of hours arrangement, even temporarily, is regarded as a definite defiance of the National Miners’ Federation’s decision on Novemzer 27th.

The South AVales District Secretary, Mr Tom Richards, who is also President of the Miners’ Federation, declared that the owners suddenly withdrew their demands for a drastic reduction of wages to-day, and put up Firms for a spead over, and therefore the South AVales men were left no option hut to accept the arrangements subject to the matter being considered of the National Ooufeience on December 4 th,

COAL STOPPAGE

EFFECTS SCOTLAND ONLY

(Received this day at 8.30. a.iti.) LONDON, November 30.

The coal stoppage applies only to Scotland. It is expected to he brief and it is hoped there will he a temporary' resumption of the night shift on December Tst. pending a meeting of delegates the same morning.

Air Cook declares there can he no national strike pending a ballot vote in all districts. A great upheaval has, for the present, been averted. The next stage is the National Conference dn December 'lth,