BRITISH MINING CRISIS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3583, 20 September 1920, Page 6

BRITISH MINING CRISIS.

A SATISFACTORY CONFERENCE. I ■

LONDON, Sept. 17,

The conference between Sir K. S. Eorne- ;^iidL ..tk|e Meiers' Federation Executive was the most conciliatory on both sides that has occurred during the present crisis. After meeting in %he morning i: adjourned at mid-day lor two u-ui'4, during which period Sir E, S. ju.w-1-d saw Mr. Lloyd George. An official account of the proceedings snows that the men submitted "proposal- So; immediate concession of ffeke- uemund; secondly, nO itt> firec.se in Cue price of home consumed coal owing to the foregoing; thirdly tthe appointment of a representative tribunal to enquire into the question of reducing the price, of domestic coal, with the Government undertaking to accept iljs .report; fourthly, an enquiry into the causes of the declining out-

put. The executive also expressed a desire to accept the Government proposal lor an inquiry with a view to

the revision of the present complicated system of calculating wages. Mr. Smillie in this connection, adnii.ted that the substitution of fixed rates for piece rates was one of the causes of the declining output, but tf piece rates were adopted the men wanted security against reduction of those rates as the output increased. Sir R. S. Home, replying, cordially agreed with the justice of the last demand, and said the other proposals svere a great advance towards a peacetul settlement, especially the way the men had coupled the - question of ' increase of wages with suggestions as regard increased output, but there was 10 possibility- of accepting the third >roposal. Further discussion revealed a sharp lifference of opinion on the subject of he demand .for immediate increase in vages. Sir R. S. Ho.rne refused to Lgree to this without prior investigaion by an impartial tribunal. Mr Smillie declared that this must ie settled before the other demands rere considered. It was useless to" rv to get the miners' conference to ostpone a strike unless they could ell it that the wages"aemand had been ranted. Sir E. Si Ho.rne agreed that if inrease of output was" assured, the adance in wages could Sbubtless be iven. The conference adjourned until tolorrow.

THE ITALIAN CRISIS

GOVERNMENT SIDES WITH j WORKERS. EMPLOYERS BOW To' INEVITABLE. , ROME, Sept. 17. '" Signor Giblitti definitely announced lie Governments' agreement with the " workers in'the present crisis. j tis no longer in accordance with the' ° ipirit of the age that one man should •ommand.and thousands obey, ine |o¥|rs ft &t Be give n alen& r «- | .esp'on^Dfe ß tiitfs WfiUte}'*™ jplift themselves. In view of Signor "GiolitfTi arT louncement, the LomJjardy masters lave agreed to principle >f trade 'union thua Signor ;he Confederation proposals for the management n a Bill. Meanwhile the workers remain in occupation of the workshops yf md'masters and men wjll Jetails of the Bill. WKLIOK PURCHASE OF DANISH W'fcTER/* LONDON, eSpt.' i'i " A The Ministry of Food has arranged I to buy Danish butter at 300/ c.i.f. It ' 1 has- also arranged that Belgium antf <'« Germany shall have a fair share at ' P the Danish output at the sa'me"i-ice?| _