STILL GRAVE.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 October 1920, Page 5

STILL GRAVE.

BRITISH COAL STRIKE. RAILWAYMEN NUT OUT. « ACTION POSTPONED. £| Telepuib.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Hecaixfd Oct. 24, 5.5 p.m. Vancouver, Oct. 23. . A United JPrui mtsiage from London states ithat the raihvaymen's strike has keen postponed.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. Received Oct. 23, 5.5 p.m. London, Oct. 22.

Summing up the strike position, Mr. Sonar Law, speaking in the House of Commons, said the position was still very grave. Ministers still continue to explore .every avenue which may lead to peace. The Parliamentary committee of the Trade Union Congress has decided to call a special congress of the executives of affiliated unions for Wednesday, to decide how best to help the miners, the general belief being that this may persuade the railwaymen's executive to hold their hand for the present. The Associated Society of Locomotive Enginemen have not yet decided to join jthe strike; at any rate, they will not cotee out on Sunday. Mr. Bromley (the secretary) says he believes there will not be a Tailway strike.

The Globe states that Mr. J. H. •Thomas, M.P (the railwaymen's leader), when seen in the lobby of the House of Commons, said that In the event of a railway strike he would not lead' it.

Meanwhile extremists continue attempts to inflame the situation. Unruly South Wales miners to-day adopted a resolution in favor of withdrawing fill labor from the mines, including the pump hands. A motion that the miners should work the 'inines during the strike for their own benefit was rejected.— An«.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

RAILWAYMEN'S ACTIOX. JOSTPONED AT MINERS' REQUEST. Received Oct. 24, 5.5 p.m. London, Oct. 23. As a result of unofficial discussions luting two days between Ministers and miners for a basis upon which to resume the official negotiations with a prospect of settlement, Mr. Lloyd George formally invited the miners' executive to v again confer with the Government. Thereupon the miners requested the railwayman's executive to postpone the railway strike, which the latter agreed to do.—Aub.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

CONFINING THE TROUBLE. EFFORTS TO. PREVENT A SPREAD. HOPEFUL DEVELOPMENTS. Received Oct. 24, 5.5 p.m. London, Oct. 22. c is now generally! accepted that the motives of the Parliamentary committee\of the Trade Union Congress in intervening are to keep the situation under control, and to attempt to find a •way towards giving a guarantee to the Oovernment which would enable the Government to resume negotiations with the miners.

The committee, in summoning the Conference, expressed the desire that no separate union should act in such a way as to defeat the efforts to ensure 'a united settlement of the matter, which ■was too important to allow of sectional •action.

Among hopeful developments is the summoning of the miners' executive to London. The members had dispersed, stating that there was no need to Temain in session, and one of the first steps necessary towards a settlement was to induce them to re-assemble.

Importance attaches to to-day's separate meetings of the miners' and the railwaymen's executives, to be followed by a joint meeting. It is believed the miners deprecate the railwaymen's precipitate intervention, and it is generally hoped that the Parliamentary committee's request that no separate action fee taken will lead to the railwaymen postponing their strike threat, if not abandoning it in, favor of the Parliamentary committee's proposed conference on Wednesday.—Aus.-N.Z. Gable 4un.

SETTLEMENT PROSPECTS: REPORTED TO BE GOOD. MEETING OP PARTIES ARRANGED. Received Oct. 24, 11.5 p.m. London, Oct. 23, Mr. Lloyd George, in a letter to- the miners' executive, suggests a preliminary meeting between Ministers and several representatives of the executive to endeavour to arrive at a basis of settlement before the conference with the {Whole executive. The miners agreed, and are sending torn officials, including Mr. Smillie and At. Hodges, to meet Ministers at Powning Street on Sunday morning. It is unofficially stated there are good trospecte of a settlement.—Aus.-N.Z. table Asan.

- GROWING UNEMPLOYED. A SET-BACK TO INDUSTRY Received Oct. 25, 12.10 a.m. London, Oct. 24. Owing to the miners' strike, other .vorkere discharged in England and Wales include 102,000 through reductions in staffs, and 90,000 placed on short time. The loss to Sheffield through cancelled contracts is nearly £250,000. Cotton operations in Lancashire will be placed, on half time owing to official restrictions on the consumption of coal.—Aus.-X.Z. Cable Assn.