BRITAIN'S COAL CRISIS

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 170, 18 July 1919, Page 5

BRITAIN'S COAL CRISIS

OFFER TO DELAY INCREASE. A PARTIAL REJECTION. NO GUARANTEE AGAINST STRIKE. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) .(Received 1.15 p.m.) LONDON, July 17. At the Miners' Conference at Keswick Mr W. Brace (Under Secretary for Labour) appealed to tiie conference to accept the Government offer to suspend the 6/ increase in the retail price of coal for three months, the miners undertaking meanwhile to reorganise the industry, increase the output, and refrain from striking. Delegates urged refusal of the offer pending the Government's announcement towards nationalisation. The conference agreed to co-operate with a view to increasing the output on erudition that the Government adopted all Mr Justice Sankey's recommendations, but declined to give a pledge not to strike for three months, there being only two dissentients.—(A. and N.Z. Cable.) LORD MILNER'S SUGGESTION. LONDON, July 17. Lord Milner suggested in the House of Lords to-night that State ownership of mines should be tested in a given area. There was, he said, a growing tendency all over the world towards increased control of fundamental necessities. The trade unionists are angry because the Government is allowing the cost of the increased wages of coal miners to fall directly upon the consumer instead of out of taxation.— (A. and N.Z. Cable.)