COAL TRADE CRISIS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 201, 22 February 1912, Page 5

COAL TRADE CRISIS.

• PREPARING FOR THE WORST. AVERTING THE STRIKE. THE PREMIER TAKES ACTION. Br Cable—Preas Association-Copyright London, February 20. The miners' leaders are indignant at the letter of the Chief Constable of Glamorgan, who asked for strong military aid to protect property in case of ■trtke. Hundreds of large employers have given provisional notices affecting fifteen thousand glassmakers in Lancaihire, and many ironworkers and engineers. " The Premier has invited representatives of the owners and miners to meet him and some of his colleagues at the Foreign. Office separately on Thursday to consider means of averting a strike. Sir George Askwith has persuaded the Glasgow masters and dockers to arbitrate as to the interpretation of {he recent agreement. The masters submitted to the English Coal Conciliation Board the conditions on which they were prepared to accept a minimum wage. The miners rejected, the conditions, ap-1 the conference broke up.

Merchants, householders, railway and Government depots have been storing coal heavily during the past month. Many householders are using their bathrooms for this purpose. Consumers at Liverpool are panic stricken, and are inundating merchants with orders The railways are cutting down the supplies for waiting rooms and offices to one third.

Mr. Strakcr, secretary of the Northumberland miners, states that so confident are they of the justice of the men's case that they are willing to allow Sir George Askwith to umpire on the dispute. He also stated that the men -were not itching to strike.

THE COALOWNERS' OFFER. A SUGGESTED SETTLEMENT. Received 21, 10.10 p.m. London, February 21. The English, coalowners' scheme proposes a minimum of 7s 3%d for abnormal places, and fe 3%d for other places. It is understood the miners are averse to more than sixpence difference between the two rates. The Daily Chronicles states that one suggested settlement is that the minimum wage be given a three months' trial, the State bearing any extra cost to the coalowners.