BRITISH COAL STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 May 1921, Page 5

BRITISH COAL STRIKE.

CONFERENCE OF PARTIES. NEW SCHEME OF SETTLEMENT. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. London, May 25. The Government is fairly confident that the gap between the coal disputants can be bridged. The executive of the Miners’ Federation meets on Thursday afternoon. It is known that most members are anxious for a settlement. Mr. Lloyd George will preside at the conference, and is expected to outline a scheme making the cost of living the chief factor in regulating wages. It is understood that the question of the pool is not likely to be obtruded. In the House of Commons, Mr. Chamberlain, replying to Mr. Clynes, said the Government, seeing no signs of agreement between the parties, had decided to make another effort to find a solution and had summoned the miners and owners to confer. Large shipments of German, American and Belgian coal, amounting to 25,000 tons, recently arrived in the Mersey. There has been no diffculty in unloading the coal, indeed, the supply of coal exceeds the demand. Coal is selling at £5 per ton plus cartage from the docks. The miners* executive has agreed to accept the Government’s invitation to a conference, but members say the national pool has not been dropped nd the districts are <till prepared to fight fpr it.