THE COAL STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 239, 9 April 1912, Page 5

THE COAL STRIKE.

• THE RESUMPTION BALLOT. JSy Cable—Press Association—Copyright. London, April 5. It is understood that the Executive Committee's decision met with the sti-ongest opposition. Only the appeal Of (Mr. Enoch Edwards for moderation turned the scale, in face of the committee's recommendation at the National Conference against resumption. THE RAILWAY RECEIPTS. London, April 5. iAs tlxe result of the strike tfTe receipts of fifty-one railways in the last week of March decreased by £747,000 as compared with 1911. The receipts for the quarter ended March 31 decreased by £2,233,000. The Times states that the strike has only slightly affected the cotton inlustry. During the previous prosperity the masters accumulated enormous stocks of coal, enabling most of the mills to work full time. A DIVISION OF OPINION. * London, April 0. Sixty-two thousand miners have resumed work. In many districts meetings censured .the executive's recommendation. The miners in Yorkshire, Fifeshire and the Lothians have instructed their delegates at to-day's conference to oppose the resumption of work. Some men being suspected of coal-get-ting at Newton colliery, Dumfernline, a crowd of ten thousand people smashed a < thousand panes of glass in the pithead buildings and damaged the machinery. Mr. Hartshorn appeals to all miners to resume work and place the Federation foremost, inasmuch as the existence of the Federation is at stake. There is a consensus of opinion that unless the conference orders a resumption of work the Federation will break up, because those eager to resume decline to starve indefinitely. The Scottish miners are divided. Thousands are eager to resume work, and un- 1 less the conference rejects the executive's recommendation they will resume on Monday. There is a prevalent feeling in Fifeshire, where forty thousand men are employed, that only absolute starvation will induce them to resun:e work. A meeting at Rotherham advised the men to imitate the boilermakers and overthrow the leaders, on the ground that the principal of the minimum is worthless until the boards fix schedules. A continuance of the strike meanwhile will involve a month of hardship and! semi-starvation. Mr. Hartshorn states that a continuation of the strike will involve a risk of splitting the .Federation into .impotent sections. The ballet emphasised the fact that unless the district boards fixed satisfactory minima tin trouble would recur. Experience had now proved that a national stoppage must be conducted by executives possessing full power and responsibility individually and collectively, and able to act in any emergency. Mr. Haslam, at Chesterfield, said that the men must gracefully surrender. Nothing would 'be gained by remaining out. The surfacemen at Dinnington, Yorkshire, resolved not to resume until an equitable settlement is arrived at. A 'FATAL COAL-FALL. PIT-MOUTH RIOTS. Received 8, 7.")0 p.m. London. April 7. A s:c'.iou of the coalminers' conference sharply criticised the executive, but the general impression is th.it the situation niust be accepted. Those voting against resumption included the North of England miners, except those in Northumberland. A party of strikers were searching for coal in a disused mine at Nantymeel when a huge fall occurred. Two of the party were killed. One boy was killed elsewhere. Several similar accidents have been reported recently. The coal-owners have declined to further discuss the demands of the Monmouthshire and South Wales enginemen and stokers. Mr. Keir Hardie is distributing £IOO sterling to necessitous miners, contributed by the W'estralian timber-workers. The union strikers at Newbridge, Monmouthshire, invaded the pitheads and forced strikebreakers to cease work, despite the efforts of the police. (Other disturbances occurred at Rother- j ham, Midlothian and West (Fife, but they I were not serious. Many trades unionists made allegations that the railway companies, in consequence of the coal strike, are discharging prominent union leaders, particularly on the Metropolitan and Central London railways. SERIOUS RIOTING. Received O. 11.30 p.m. < London, April 8. Serious rioting has occurred at Pendlebury in consequence of the attempt to cart coal. Excited strikers overturned the lorries and appropriated the coal. Thousands then invaded the pithead and stoned 150 police from behind a wall. The police made numerous baton charges, the strikers receiving many broken heads. A number were taken home on stretchers. Nine arrests were made. A miners' meeting in Yorkshire commended the leaders for ordering the resumption of work until a minimum wage is fixed. Two hundred thousand miners will take part in a procession at Belfast on Tuesday, including representatives of 280 Unionist clubs, with a hundred and fifty thousand members. A SCOLDING POLITICIAN. Received 9, 11.30 p.m. London, April 8. Mr. Keir Hardie, speaking at Doncaster, said that a refusal to return to work was suieidal. The miners were going to compel society to take over the mines. Their next demand would be for a fixed yearly salary. THE DUNEDIN FUND. By Telegraph—Press Assoeiation. Dunedin, Saturday. The Daily Times' fund for the relief of the women and children in England who are suffering as a result of the strike now exceeds £ 1200.