INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 65, 12 March 1912, Page 5

INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

THE ENGLISH COAL STRIKE. (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Press Association.) London, March 11. Mr Ramsay MacDonald, M.P., speaking at Reddiffo, said the Premier had bungled the negotiations. Biit for the bungling the dispute would have been on a fair way to settlement. The first (and foolish) mistake was in asking the miners to , accept, .compulsory , arbitration. ' Then ho" said it was absurd to put the miners’ schedule into his Bill, though no body asked him to do such a thing. Afterwards, Mr Asquith made a speech on a Thursday and published it ou Friday, though the others wore pledged to secrecy. Instead ,of considering the miners’ facts - proving the schedule was reasonable, the Premier again asked the miners to meet the owners to discuss the reductions. The miners declined. Hence the deadlock.

Mr .Macdonald added. that if they secured the minimum it would only he the first step towards obtaining an adequate minimum wage for every trade. If the Government introduced a Bill which would hamper trades unions and load to compulsory arbitration, the Labour Party would oppose lit, and the strike would be finished by sheer exhaustion be! ore the Bill passed. Mr Barnes, M.P., interviewed, said that if the coal strike lasted another month the engineers and other trade unions would be in “Queer .street.” Mr Keir Hardie, M.P., at Aberavon, declared that tine House of Commons should pass a Bill repealing the wages agreement in connection with the whole coal fields. That would bring -settlement within measurable distance.

THE UNEMPLOYED TALLY,

(Received 12, 8.5 a.m.) London, March 11

The “Morning Post” estimates that those unemployed include 1,039,000 miners and 661,180 others, including 228,000 steel, iron and tin-plate work-

ers, 85,180 textile workers, 70,000 pottery people, 55,050 dockers 29,200 sailors.

There is a strong demand for vessels to load coal at' New South "Wales and North American ports. Eighteen and sixpence has been.agreed as the rate from New South "Wales to Colombo.

Many branch railways will close to-day. Restaurant cars will be taken off.

The London County Council is reducing its train service.

The quartern loaf is costing sixpence in Loudon.

The pumping engine at Stow Heath, South Staffordshire, lias been stopped through insufficiency of coal. It pumps two millions of gallons daily. The collieries district is threatened.

Mr Hashing interviewed, said it was impossible to forget the general suffering if we follow Wales. It meant adopting a kind of vendetta. Whatever was suggested, nothing would suit the Welshmen. It was reasonable that a minimum wage should bo that paid for abnormal places. This was the Government’s point. The miners could not afford to lose the Government’s sympathy. Mr Appleton, secretary of the Federation of Trade Unions, interviewed, said that many unions were suffering very serious depletion of funds owing to unemployment. If it continues long many will bo on the verge of bankruptcy. FRFiXCH MIXERS DISSATISFIED. (Received 12, 8.5 a.m.) Paris, March 11. The minors, threaten a twenty-four

hours’ stoppage to-day as a protest against the failure to pass tho Miners’ Pensions Bill, also to demand an oi-gjht-hours’ day and a minimum wage. PUNISHING NON-STRIKERS. London, March 11. The Amalgamated Society of Railway men has foreclosed on mortgages of members who failed to respond to the strike in August. The privileges of the Society enable a member to obtain a loan to the extent of fivosixtlhs of his house interest at 3J per cent., repaid in twenty years. 'JIAiXT DRIVERS’ WAGES. London, March 11. The arbitrators have awarded taxi drivers extras and 25 per cent, of tho takings, tho drivers working a six-day week instead of five. THE GERMAN TROUBLE. Berlin, March 11..! A conference of the so-called Triple Alliance Socialist miners’ unions at Ruhr it was decided by 507 votes to 75 to istriko to-day. Two hundred and twenty thousand men are involved. The Government notifies its determination to use every moans to protect willing workers. • The strikers’ demand amounts to a 15 per rent, increase and a 7-J hours hank-to-bank shift, instead of the present 8». They also ask for a seven hour shift where the temperature is over 71 fahr. The demand will cost owners seven and a half millipn sterling, equivalent to 1 mark 61 pfenning a ton. Tho present’ profits average a mark per ton. The Catholic Evangelical unions oppose the strike. Tho Union of Christian Miners at Ruhr, in a pamphlet, state that the strike has no chance of success. Its only advantage would he to British industry, and it would bring misery and want to hundreds of thousands of miners’ families.

NEW SOUTH WALES MINERS. Sydney, March 11. Lodge meetings at Stanford, Merthyr, Pelaw Main, Hepburn, East Greta, South Greta and Ccssnock, adopted the Delegates Board’s minutes authorising a conference on the afternoon shift question, and appointed delegates to attend the meeting. They were instructed to favour an open conference, with an independent chairman, to take only oral evidence. - - ,• *• '--V' • PREPARING FOR A FAMINE.

Sydney, March. .-1 All the 'big users of coal are more or less prepared for the Newcastle strike. Many thousands of tons are stored in Sydney.

lit is rumoured that some of the colliery proprietors would welcome a stoppage, in order to cancel unprofitable contracts in Svdney.

THE DOG WATCH NOT WANTED,

Melbourne, March 11

The miners of the'Wonthaggi State mine decided to ballot to abolish the dog watch. This means dispensing with between two hundred and three hundred men.

VICTORIAN WiATERSIDERS

Melbourne, March 11

The compulsory conference between steamship owners and waterside workers has been dissolved, as it was reported that work was proceeding satisfactorily at both Sydney and Melbourne.

AUCKLAND LABOURERS

Auckland,‘Mardhi 11

A deputation from the General Labourers’ Union waited upon the Prime Minister to-night in regard to the present dispute. The proceedings were private. *:

REFUSING TO JOIN

Palmerston, March 11

An unusual case was heard before Mr Thomson, S.M., yesterday, when, on the information of the Inspector of Awards (Mr IV. J. Culver), Miss Elicit Kearney, barmaid, was charged with failing within seven days after the commencement of the operation of the award, to become a member of the 'Wellington Amalgamated Society of Cooks and "Waiters’ Industrial Union of “Workers. Mr Calver said defendant refused to join the union, and had since loft the district. A fine of £2 was imposed. AGAINST THE STRIKE. Oamaru, March 11. The Timaru branch of the A.S.R.S. passed a resolution strongly objecting to the executive council taking steps to join any outside organisation which can, in any way possible, even as a. last resort as provided in Professor Mills’ scheme of organisation, drag railway employees into a strike, and to adhere to their own book of rules and recommend members to vote against the proposed affiliation with outside unions.