THE STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 May 1921, Page 5

THE STRIKE.

MOVE TOWARDS PEACE,

EXPECTED THIS WEEK.

SOME SUPPORT FOR THE OFFER.

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received April 30, 5.5 p.m.

London, April 29. Some districts are still bent on a fight to a finish, but 20,000 miners in South - orkshire would gladly return to work on the terms of the Government’s offer, though they are anxious to be loyal to the federation.

Good judges are also convinced that a ballot among the men in South Wales would end in the acceptance of the Government s offer. Some great trade unions are also badly hit by the miners’ strike, .owing to ever-increasing unemployment and the necessity of paying unemployment

It quite possible that next week there will be a move towards pence on behalf of the general body of Labor, and under the circumstances Cabinet is disposed to wait two or three days before imposing fresh restrictions to fight the fuel shortage. They will not add to the public inconvenience until they learn how the dsitricte regard the rejection of tne £10,000,000 offer without even a ballot.

FIGHT AMONGST MINERS.

SHOVELS AND STICKS USED.

PROTEST AT MINERS WORKING.

Received April 30, 5.5 p.m. London, April 29.

Riotous scenes occurred in Woodlesford, Leeds, owing to the miners of Rothwell, a neighboring village, determining to stop coal “scratching”, which was producing fifty tons daily, to the intense satisfaction of the colliers of Woodlesford.

A hundred young colliers left Rothwell and ordered the hawkers and drivers awaiting coal at Woodlesford to go away. Four hundred of the “scratehers”, who were working dumps, armed themselves with shovels and sticks, and rushed the Roth veil contingent. A long fight followed, until Rothwells ranks broke and Bed.

The Rothwell men during the afternoon returned to the attack, when they were reinforced to the extent of four hundred, but as they found eight hundred colliers awaiting them at Woodlesford they attacked carts on the road, tipping out coal on the roadside. Finally the police intervened and the invaders withdraw.

Similar scenes are reported at Leigh /Lancashire), where the invaders were thrown into the river.—Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assn

REJECTION SUPPORTED.

DECISION OF SEVERAL DISTRICTS.

Received May 1, 11.5 p.m.

London, April 30. Notts, Bristol, Lancashire and Cheshire miners endorsed the rejection of the Government offer, and decided to continue support of the policy of a national settlement.—Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assn.

FAILURE REGRETTED.

DOCKERS STRIKE AT IPSWICH.

London, April 29. Sir Robert Horne, in the House of Common*, said he regretted the result of the coal negotiations. The Government had struggled hard to reach a settlement, and had made the miners a generous >ffer It was now clear that the reason for the stoppage was that miners had not been granted a national pool, and that their reason was political.

Owing to the coal strike and the rapid depletion of the funds, the Manchester Cotton Reconstruction Board has notified cotton workers that unemployed pay will cease on May 7. Ipswich dockers refused to unload coal from Belgium. Voluntary labor, under police protection, unloaded the vessel. The dockers struck as a protest, and will not resume work until the coal steamer leaves port

The national miners’ executive decided that, owing to several fatal accidents through men taking coal at out-crops, such work must cease.

The moderate leaders in Derbyshire and Nottingham agree that the Government’s offer should have been accepted. A meeting of the executive of the Scottish Miners’ Union resolved to abide by the decision to reject the owners’ offer

STATEMENT BY OWNERS.

London, April 29.

The mine owners have issued a statement that they realise that no amount of wages 'without a national pool will be acceptable. They think the men are kept in the dark, and feel convinced that what is keeping the men from work is not a question of wages, but the idea which exists in the minds of their leaders. —Aus.-NJS. Cable Assn.

HUGE LOSS IN WAGES.

London, April 29. On the March figures the coal strikers have already lost £21,000,000 in wages.

The Miners’ Association announces that after a long conference the owners’ representatives have come to the conclusion that the best prospect of advance lie in the district.'. Accordingly they have returned to the country, where they are prepared to discuss schedules of wages with their men. Owing to a shortage of coal, short time has commenced at Vickers’ shipyard at JJarrow. —Aus.-NJZ. Cable Assn.