THE COAL STRIKE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10574, 4 March 1912, Page 5

THE COAL STRIKE

Z'niied I'ress Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received Last Night, 5.5 o'clock.; LONDON, March 2. The newspapers of both parti-* strongly criticise the miners for refusing to adopt the. Premier's proposal. Mr fianillie, who is the brains of the present movement, has been the chief spokesman throughout the Confi t'erence. Messrs Edwards, Abraham Ashton and Burt, Ate older leaders, have lost their influence. The Daily News states that the decision of the Federation was reached without discussion of the' schedule, and was obtained after a division, n which a bare majority of extremis.s overbore the moderates. Mr Winston Ohurohill, addressing the "Eighty dub," warned the miners of the injuries that would be '*nfliated on the public. At South Shields, where 7,000,000 tons of eon! were shipped annually, business was at a standstill, and many thousands were rendered idle, and forges mploying 45,000 men would close wi Monday. Messrs Armstrong, Whitworth an-! Company announce their intention of -closing immediately, if a settlement i is delayed, as they hold practically no stock of coal. All the Cardiff iron works will be closed ,wi±iin'.ionr--jdays..-->The Derbyshire ironworks are closed, and tho Great Central Railway refuses to deliver coal in transit to Sheffield, a-v- ---< serting that they have the same statutory powers to seize the coal for 4heir own purposes as those exercised during the strike of 1893, and subse- ■ quently paying market prices for tho opal seized. NO FURTHER REDUCTION. ' - : 0" OPINIONS:'':;'' ,' THE MINERS COMMIT,A BLTTN DEZR, FORiPEnT~"pUBLLIC SYMPATHY. (Received-Last Night, 5.5 o'clock.) LONDON, March- 1 2. Mr SmiMie, interviewed", stated tha 4 ; the Government asked the miners' representatives to justify thv schedule. They will do tins, but cannot ■negotiate with a view to a possible reduction. The Executive of tha Federation was not authorised to agree to a reduction. Tho owners must first • signify . their acceptance of the rates. "We have already reduced the figures to the lowest point, and are not prepared to leave it to ,-fche Government officials to say what , is a reasonable minimum." The Chronicle says that the stiff and uncompromioing attitude of thff miners had (grievously disappointed their friends. The prevalent impression in the House of Commons is thatthe miners had committed a gigantic blunder.

TROOPS READY.

Hitherto public opinion was with them, but the demand for nothing but schedule rates will alienate sympathy.

The Daily Telegraph states that the nation is confronted with a ,;m----l>le, straight-forward threat, that the. ■Miners' Federation will break tin* country if it cannot bend it. The Daily News states that the> miners have now put themselves in the wrong, and the Government can't permit all the details of a settlement to be imposed on a national industry, without examination.

CONFERENCES TO BE RESUMED. ON MONDAY NEXT. (Received March 2, 10 a.m.) LONDON, March I. / The conference in London between Ministers, coalmine owners, and miners' representatives were resumed, but adjourned till Monday. Sixty-eight per cent, of the owners how favour the principle of a minimum wage. DIRECTORS' VIEWS. PROFIT YIELDED BY CAPITAL EMPLOYED. MINERS' NEXT GREAT FIGHT. « 'TRIUMPH ARY SYNDICALISM." (Received March 2, 10 a.m.) LONDON, March 1. Sir James Joicey, chairman and managing director of James Joicey and '"bo., Ltd., and tho Lambton

MR WINSTON CHURCHILL'S WARNING BUSINESS AT A STANDSTILL ALL GREAT WSRKS CLOSING DOWN

Oolliory, Ltd., the two largest colliery ' companies in the County of Durham, says that the capital employed in the coalmining industry does not yield aibovc 5 per cent, interest. Sir Arthur Markham, MP. for Mans* eld, Nottinghamshire, and a director of several coal companies, says that the net profit does not exceed Hid per ton.' The minors' next great fight will be for a seven hours day. Mr D. Thomas', managing director of the Cambrian Collieries Combine, and president of the owners' organisation, in an interview, expressed the opinion that the Premier's statement was the greatest triumph for revolutionary syndicalism that had yet occurred in Britain. "Not until the Act is enforced," added Mr Thomas, "will tile South Wnlrp owners cease their opposition." "HAPPY TIME." WHAT THE MEN LOOK FORWARD TO. LUXURY OF LATE RISING. ((Received March 2, 10.5 a.m.) LONDON, March 1. Mr Stanton, the Welsh miners' leader, said:—"We are looking forward to a happy time. W© will soon get our own way. We will spend our time in picture -shops, stay in bed as long as we likfe,. and -generally enjoy ourselves."

MR McKENNA ANSWERS A KTER HARDIE QUESTION.

(Received March 2, 10.7 a.m.)

LONDON, March 1

In the House of Commons, replying to Mr Kerr Hardie, /Labour mem-; box- for/Merthyr-Tyid'yiiP;. .Mr'■ Reginald. iMcKeniia," Home;;' j. Secretary, said troops would be ready to send to South"'"Wales if real necessity arose, (but the executive of the South Wales Federation was calling on all its members to preserve order.