BRITISH COAL STRIKE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 452, 30 March 1912, Page 5

BRITISH COAL STRIKE.

DESTRUCTIVE MOB. MILITARY CALLED OUT. MINIMUM BILL PASSES THE COMMONS. Hy Telegraph— Press Association.—OopyrMit London, Thursday. Five hundred men of the Yorkshire Regiment have gone to t he Littleton collieries at Cannock Chase (Staffordshire), where a mob was making a demonstration. Despite an appeal from the miners' agent the mob overpowered the pblice and burnt several buildings, causing damage to the extent of £3OOO. Numerous baton charges were mado by the police, who finally sent an urgent mesßßge for assistance from the military. A detachment of infantry has arrived at Chirk. Two regiments from Aldershot with ball ammunition and three days' rations are entraining. In his Bpeech in the House of Commons on the third reading of the Coal Mines Bill, Mr Asquith, Prime Minister, warned the miners of their heavy responsibility if they persisted in the strike after the Bill had passed. The Government, he said, had gone beyond precedent in asking Parliament to accept the principle of the minimum. Mr Bonar Law, Leader of the Opposition, said that the whole resources of the country must protect men desiring to work. An amendment moved by Mr Wm. Brace, Labour member, for Glamorganshire South, and agent of the South Wales Miners' Federation, on the report stage, reintroducing the 5s and 2s minimum (Which was rejected last week), was negatived by 326 to 83, the Nationalists abstaining from voting. A Government amendment, instructing t>ie district boards to have regard to the average daily rate of wage now paid to miners was passed by 265 votes to 135. The Labour party moved an amendment that the rate fixed should never be less than the average daily rate. This was rejected by 271 to 101. The Bill was read a third time, the voting being 213 for and 48 Bgainßt. The Labourites opposed the Bill and the majority of Unionistß abstained from voting. Mr Asquith was warmly cheered on leaving the House.

STARVATION IN POTTERIES. COST IN INFANT LIFE. London, Thursday. A number of deaths from starvation have occurred in the potteries. The Mayor's fund at Grimßby relieves 3000 families, while 1000 children are being fed in the schools. One hundred and thirty-two vessels, totalling 147,000 tons, are idle on the Tyne, and 40,000 men, besides the miners, are unemployed The strikers at Midlothian are averso to resumption unless a minimum of 6s be granted. The infantile mortality in Manchester has risen from 84 to 135 per 1000. A similar rise is reported from the potteries. The railways have decided not to run goods trains next week, except for the carriage of food. Several companies have cancelled their Easter excursions. Angry meetings were held to-day in Warwickshire, owing to the strike pay fund being exhausted. The miners are demanding that the executive draw upon the pension fund.