COAL MINES BILL

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1008, 26 June 1930, Page 11

COAL MINES BILL

TWO HOUSES MAY NEGOTIATE AMENDMENT DECISION RUGBY, Tuesday. Tlie House of Lords today, by large majorities, insisted upon its amendments to the Coal Mines Bill which the House of Commons had rejected. One amendment was to exclude from the Bill the district levy which the Marquess of Salisbury, on behalf of the Conservatives, declared was in the nature of a bounty for the export of coal and was quite indefensible. Another amendment insisted upon the principle of a spread-over of 90 hours’ work a fortnight instead of seven and a-half hours a day. This amendment, however, was drafted in a new form designed to remove all suspicion that this could be arranged otherwise than by mutual agreement betwen the mine-owners and the workers. BILL MAY GO

The decisive manner in which the House of Lords insisted upon its principal amendments to the Bill creates another crisis in the chequered fortunes of the measure.

There is still a possibility of negotiation betwen the two House if the Government cares to undertake it, but many Labour members are of the opinion that it would be better for the Government to lose the Bill, as that would he likely to create indignation against the peers at the General Election.

The Cabinet will consider the matter today. It is expected to consult the Miners’ Federation before finally deciding. If the miners are willing to agree to a spread-over of hours the measure may be saved.