THE COAL STRIKE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10581, 12 March 1912, Page 5

THE COAL STRIKE

CABLE NEWS

(United Tress Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.)

| STAGNATION OF BUSINESS WORKERS ON VERGE OF STARVATION. j (Received March 11, 9 a.m.) LONDON, March 10. There is increased stagnation in business owing to the termination of a thousand notices yesterday. Lord Ash ton's cotton mills have been closed until Thursday next. Six thousand workers are affected. Many woollen operatives in Colne [ Valley are idle, and 20,000 in tho Colne ( Valley and Huddersfield are on short time. Tangye's engineering works at Birmingham will suspend operations on Wednesday next, involving 3000 workers. Many of the poorest workers in South Walt® are on tho verge of starvation. These include miners. There are a quarter of a million, unemployed in South Wales. AN OPTIMISTIC OPINION. STRIKE MAY BE SETTLED IN | ANOTHER WEEK. (Received March 11, 9.10 a.m.) LONDON, March 10. Mr Will Crooks, Labour M.P. for Woolwich, speaking at Taunton, Somerset, stated that he had seen miners and owners before leaving London, and 'would not be surprised if the strike M;as settled in another week:Lord Robert Cecil, speaking at Selby, advocated giving the workmen a share in the profit and management of industries. MR RAMSAY MACDONALD. ACCUSEDS THE PREMIER OF BUNGLING. (Received Last Night, 10.25 o'clock.) LONDON, March 10. Mr Ramsay Macdonald, Leader of tho Labour Party, speaking at Redcliffe, said that the Premier had bungled the negotiations. But for this bungling the dispute would have been ,on a ■ fair way towabds a settlement.His first foolish mistake-\vas in flaking miners to accept compulsory arbitral" tion. He then said that it,was absurd to put the miners' schedule into his Bill, though nobody asked--him to do such a thing. He afterwards made a speech on Thursday,,and published it on Friday (though others were pleged to secrecy). Instead of considering the miners' facts, proving the schedule to be reasonable, the Premier again asked tho miners ( to meet the owners and discuss reductions. : The miners replied that they would not do so. Hence tho deadlock. -Mr Macdonald added that if the miners secured »• minimum, it would only be a first- step towards an adequate minimum in every trade. If the Government introduced a Bill which hampered Trades' Unions, and would lead to compulsory arbitration, the labour party would oppose it. Tho strike would .bo finished through sheer exhaustion before the Bill was passed. IF THE STRIKE CONTINUES. EFFECT ON OTHER TRADES. (Received Last Night, 10.25 o'clock.) LONDON, March 11. Mr G. M. Barnes, M.P., in an inter, view, stated that if the coal strike lasted another imonth, the engineers' and other Trade's Unions would be in "queet street." .

SUGGESTION BY KETR IIARDIE. (Rceived Last Night, 10.35 o'clock.) LONDON, March. 10. Mr Keir Hardie, speaking at Abera/von, declares that the House Commons should pass a Bill repealing the wages agreements on the whole of the coalfields. That, Ihe said, would bring a settlement within reasonable distance.