THE GOAL STRIKE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10582, 13 March 1912, Page 5

THE GOAL STRIKE

(CABLE NEWS

(United Press Association —By Eltc* trie Telegraph—Copyright.)

NEARLY TWO MILLION IDLE STRONG DEMAND FOR VESSELS. (Received March 12, 8.5 a.m.) LONDON, March 11. The Morning Post estimates the number of unemployed through the coal strike at 1,039,000 miners and 661,480 others, including 225,000 steel, iron, and tin-plate workers, 85,480 textile workers, 70,000 pottery workers, 55,050 dockers, and 29,200. There is strong demand for vessels to load coal from New South Wales and North American ports. Eighteen and sixpense has been agreed upon as the freight from New South Wales to Colombo. Many of the branch railways close to-day. The restaurant cars have been taken off. , The London Oounty Council is re ducing tho tram service. The quartern loaf is fow costing sixpence in London. The pumping engines at the Sto'.v Heath, South Staffordshire, have been stopped owing to insufficiency of coal. Tho engines pump two million gallons otf water daily. The collieries n the district arc threatened.

GENERAL SUFFERING. (Received March 12, 0 a.m.) LONDON, March 11. Mr J. Haslam, Labour M.P. for tho Chesterfield Division of Derbyshire, and Secretary of the Derbyshire Miners'. Association, interviewed, said it was impossible to forget the general suffering caused 'by <the strike. "If," 'he added, "wo follow Wales, it means adopting a kind of vendetta. Whatever is suggested, nothing suits Workmen. Ib is reasonable that the minimum wage should ibe that paid for work in abnormal places. This i? the Government's point, and the miners cannot afford to lose the Government's sympathy." Mr Appleton, secretary of the Federation of Trade Unions, interviewed, said that many of the unions were suffering from a very serious depletion of funds, owing to unemployment. "If it continues for long, many will be on ■tlhe verge of bankruptcy."

CONFERENCE EXPECTED AT ONCE. A FOUL AND DISHONOURABLE « k POLICY. THE COST OF THE MINIMUM , WAGE. (Received Last Night. lO.Lj r'clock.) LONDON, March 12. The estimate of those rendered :'d!# owing to the strike include 203,700 surface workers, making a total now of 1,499,860. The South Wales owners, while iln~ abating in opposition to the maximum wage, 'have agreed to bo represented at a conference. It is expected that the executVe of tho Miners' Federation will, meet t>ho coal owners to-day, Mr 'Stephen Walsh," M.P. < sneaking at- Wigan, condemned the pamphlet (cahledon 'February 27th), which stated" that every genuine trades Unionist iva.s willing to do a fair dayVw >rk for a fair day's pay. The men were now being advised to shirk, and to mako tfhe working of the n.ines unprofitable. That was, he said, a foul and dishonourable policy." Tho Lancashire and Cheshire miners Federation have paid out £30,000 as the first week's strike benefits. Many firms, particularly in the engineering itrade at Lancashire, 'are using municipal electricity in order to keep the machinery going. , Mr Markhaan, M.P., speaking at Mansfield, advised the men to stand firm for the minimum wage, which would only cost from 4d to 4srl per ton. The Welsh and Scotch owners must bo forced to give a minimum wage by Act of Parliament.

THE PREMIER QUESTIONED

PART TIME EMPLOYMENT

Mil ASQUITH' COMPLIMENTED

(Received Last Night, IUO o'clock.)

LONDON, March 12

The Premier, questioned in the House of Commons, said that the Government noted with satisfaction that many of "the masters, instead of discouraging the men, are providing part time employment. Mr Albeit Stanley, speaking at Cannock, disputed Mr Ramsay Mncdonaid's references to the Premier, and .said that everything he 'had done redounded to the Premier's credit-

FRENCHMEN GO OUT, 75 PER CENT INVOLVED. (Received Last Night, 11 <0 o clock.) PARTS, March 12. Seventy-five per cent of l'rench niin er s have struck.