COLLIERIES CRISIS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14940, 13 March 1912, Page 7

COLLIERIES CRISIS.

OBSTINATE WALES. WILL ATTEND CONFERENCE RESISTANCE TO MINIMUM PLEA FOR COPARTNERSHIP "SHIRKING'* DEPRECATED. COMPULSORY MINIMUM BILL By Telegraph.— Press Assertion.— Copyright. (Received March 12. 10.15 p.m.) London, March 12. It is estimated that the number of miners and other workers rendered idle by the strike is 1,491,860. This total includes: ■ ■ Miners 844,000 Surface workers at mines ... ffi''™ Workers in other avenues m.vai The Morning Post estimates the number of unemployed as a resultof the coal strike at 1,039,000 miners and 661,480 other workers. The latter include: Steel, iron, and tin plate men ... 228,000 Textile -workers ™'mn Potteries employees ... '"•!${ Bookers "•££ Sailors 29,200 Sailors _ ' . 167,730 Conference Without Prejudice. The Miners' Federation Conference agreed to meet the coalowners for a free discussion of the whole situation, without prejudice, but it must be on the understanding that the principle of the minimum shall be excluded from the discussion.

The South Wales coalmine owners, while not abating their opposition to the minimum wage, have agreed to be represented at the conference. It is expected that the executive of the Miners' Federation will meet the coalmine owners to-day.

A memorial to the Prime Minister, asking for a Royal Commission to inquire into the possibilities of copartnership, has been signed by 157 Unionists, 72 Liberals, and 10 Irish Nationalists. The Labour party refused to sign, fearing that co-part-nership will undermine the trades unions. . ' Many firms, particularly in the engineering trade in Lancashire, are using electricity (supplied by the municipal bodies) in order to keep their machinery going. Minimum Would Cost 4id per Ton. Addressing his constituents in the Mansfield division of Nottinghamshire, Sir Albert'Markham (Liberal M.P., and a director of coal and iron companies) advised the men to stand firm for a minimum wage, which would only cost 4d to 4J,d per ton. He added that the Welsh and the Scotch owners must be forced to give the minimum by Act of Parliament. Mr. Albert Stanley (Labour member for North-west Staffordshire, and an officer of the Midland Miners' Federation) says that the Cannock Chase mineowners have made enough in the last three months to pay al2 months' minimum. The miners are prepared for a three months' strike. Mr. Appleton (secretary of the Federation of Trade Unions), interviewed, said that many of the unions were suffering a very serious depletion of their funds owing to unemployment. If it continued for long, many would be on the verge of bankruptcy.

What it Means to Follow Wales.' In an interview Mr. J. Haslam (Labour member for the Chesterfield division of Derby and secretary of the Derbyshire Miners' Association), said that it was impossible to forget the general suffering. "If," he remarked, "we follow Wales, it means adopting a kind of vendetta. Whatever is suggested, nothing suits the Welshman. It is not reasonable that the minimum should be that paid for work in abnormal places. This is the Government's point, and the miners cannot afford to lose the Government's sympathy."

Speaking at Croydon, Mr. G. N. Barnes, Labour M.P. for Blackfriars division of Glasgow, and formerly general secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, said he was not going to. dictate to the miners, who knew the strength of public opinion and the strength of their own purse, but no body of men should be a law unto themselves. Against Syndicalist Shirking. Speaking at Wigan, Mr. Stephen Walsh (Labour M.P., and an officer of the Lancashire and Cheshire Miners' Federation) condemned the pamphlet to which cabled reference was made on February 27 (advising irritation strikes and measures to make shareholders abandon their rights). • Mr. Walsh said that every genuine trades unionist was willing to do a fair day's work for a fair day's pay. The men were now being advised to shirk, and so make the working of the mines unprofitable. That was a foul and dishonourable policy. The Lancashire and Cheshire Miners' Federation paid £30,000 as the first week's strike benefits. The St. Paul's sailing from Southampton on the 23rd inst., and the Oceanic's on the 27th inst., have been cancelled. Quartern Loaf at Sixpence. The quartern loaf is now costing 6d in London. The London County Council is reducing its tramways service. Some 200,000 tons of shipping is idle on the Tyne, and advantage is being taken to get the vessels into proper trim. There is a strong demand for vessels to load coal at New South Wales and North American ports.

' The Board of Trade has authorised in London an excess on tramcars of 15 passengers and five 'on omnibuses.

Many branch railways were closed to-day, and the restaurant cars were taken off many of the express lines. The pumping engine at Stowheath, South Staffordshire, stopped owing to insufficiency of coal. The pumps lift 2,000,000 gallons daily. The collieries of the district arc now threatened with flooding.

MR. ASQUITH DEFENDED. BANKERS ARE CAUTIOUS. (Received March 12. 11.30 p.m.) London, March 12. Questioned in the House of Commons, the Prime Minister, ' Mr. Asquith, said that the Government noted with satisfaction that many masters, instead of discouraging their men, were providing part-time employment. In his speech at Cannock Chase Mr. Herbert Stanley disputed Mr. Ramsay Macdonald's references to the Prime Minister's alleged bungling, and said' that everything that had been done redounded to Mr. Asquith's credit. Bankers are cautious about advancing moneys to miners' unions, even on approved security with an ample margin. One institution refused to advance £150,000 against exchequer bonds, but the money was obtained elsewhere. CONTINENTAL COLLIERS. SABRE WORK !N GERMANY. POLICE VERSUS STRIKERS. Berlin, March 11. The striking miners in the Ruhr (Rhine and Westphalian districts) failed to enlist the non-unionists, and the strike is everywhere only partial • except at Dortmund, where 60 per cent, of the men have struck.

(Received March 12, 11.30 p.m.) Berlin, March 12. The number of German miners on strike is equal to 35 per cent. Women and children at Essen assembled at the pit-heads and prevented many miners from descending. The strike funds amount to £300,000, sufficient for a. fortnight's strike pay. A collision occurred between the police and 400 strikers at Essen. Seven strikers were severely sabred, and many arrests were made. One of the non-strikers was attacked and lost both his eyes. STRIKE OF FRENCH MINERS Paris,. March 11. The miners threaten a 24 hours' stoppage to-day as a protest against the non-passage of the Miners' Pensions Bill, also ■ the Eight Hours' Minimum Wage Bill. (Received March 12. 11.30 p.m.) ' Paris, March 12. The number of French miners on strike is equal to 70 per cent.