THE STRIKE BILL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 232, 29 March 1912, Page 5

THE STRIKE BILL.

DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. London-, March 27. . Four thousand minus have gone back to work, and the Government hopes that the passage of the Bill will afford an excuse to the miners to return. The leaders favor the men accepting the Bill to the extent of assisting to form district boards and endeavoring to secure satisfactory minima, but it is probable that orders will be issued against returning to the pits until wages have been fixed.

Mr. Asquith warr.cd the miners of their heavy responsibility if they persisted in the strike when the Bill was passed. The Government had gone beyond precedent in asking Parliament to accept the principle of the minimum. Mr. Bonar Law said the wholfe tseources of the country must protect men desiring to work. The amendment of Mr. Brace (Labor) at the report stage, reintroducing the and "2s minima, was rejected by 320 votes to 83. The Nationalists abstained from voting, and 43 Liberals supported the Laborites, including Messrs. Dalziel, Atherley-Jones, Sylvester Horne, and Harvey. It is stated that over 100,000 men who ■work underground do not get 5s a day. A Government amendment was passed by 265 votes to 135 instructing district boards to have regard to the average daily rate of wages now paid to the miners. The Labor Party moved an amendment that the rate fixed should never be less than average daily rate. This was rejected by 271 votes to 101. Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald said the third reading of the Bill was simply making fools of the men. They would try to use the Bill, but would not let anybody jmagine that the strike was declared off. ' Mr. Lloyd George said that Mr. MasDonald's language was deplorable. The Bill embodied the miners' very words in the ballot in favor of a strike. It did not give the schedule, but the principle of the minimum was a gigantic advance for Labor. It would not be uptight or courageous on the part of the Labor Party to destroy the Bill, as the effect would be to plunge the people in even greater misrry. The Bill was read a third time by 213 votes to 48, the Laborites opposing it, and the majority of the Unionists abstaining from voting. The Miners' Federation has decided on a ballot as to whether they should resume work. LABOR LEADERS INTERVIEWED. London, March 27. The ballot asks whether the miners will resume work pending the settlement by the various boards of the minimum wage for the various grades. Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald, interviewed, advised the strikers to accept the Bill and to proceed to establish joint boards and get an early decision on such simple points as 5s per day for workers. If the decisions were satisfactory, it should be regarded as an indication as to what other decisions were likely to be, and work should be resumed immediately. As an alternative he recommended a ballot.

Mr. V. Hartshorn, leader of the Welsh strikers, interviewed, said that the strike was only commencing. He anticipated that, with the assistance of Labor members at mass meetings throughout the country, it would be possible to organise a dogged resistance. Then it would be 6een who could hold out longest, the miners or the nation. Mr. Stanton, another leader, interviewed, said that, in view of the solidarity of labor, the miners could within a week, by the stoppage of the railways and other means of transport, bring the Government to its knees, begging them to resume work on the terms now declared to be impossible. Notwithstanding the above opinions outside the conference, the latter's recommendation of a ballot is interpreted showing a desire to shelve the responsibility for future action on the 'miners.

■ PATRON AND SCHOOLMASTER. London, March 27. The Times, in commenting on Mr. Lloyd George's retaliation on Mr. MacDonald, described Mr. Mac Donald as amusing, with his air of patron towards the miners and schoolmaster towards the Government and owners. Mr. Mac9onald was becoming ridiculous in his attempts to conceal his lack of influence on the real labor movement by assuming airs of- importance. PROTECTION FOR WORKERS. ' London, March 27. The mine owners at a meeting ao cepted the Minimum Wage Bill. The ballot papers for the miners do not recommend how the men are to vote. The results will be known next Wednesday. Mr. McKenna, Home Secretary, in the House of Commons, said that the Government would afford adequate protection where owners were willing to reopen their mines and the miners will work.

A PIT MOUTH RIOT.

THE MILITARY SUMMOXED. Received 20. 12.50 a.m. London. March 2S. Five hundred York-hire colliers linv frone to w..r!-: at th- r.i'ii.-fon Collieries Cannock ( 'm v V re 'he woh i- preventing tJx-m fr •: i •mlilin'.' :il the surface and throw : 1(1 r n<i--i!es down the pit upon {hens. .1, .1 ,-,f Ike miner.--. A pre. t «, v -r---.v(-re 1 tV police, hnrnl hnik'iiie- end did damage the extent of {Mono. There were numerous baton charges by the police, who