BRITISH STRIKE CLOUD

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 73, 27 March 1920, Page 7

BRITISH STRIKE CLOUD

MINING STOPPAGE IMMINENT.! MODIFIED OFFER MADE. BALLOT BEING ARRANGED. " (Ity Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received Ki.,10 h.iu.i LONDON, March 20. j The Government has ottered the v miners a 20 per cent increase in lieu of c the men's demand for 3,'. The Miners' t > federation rejected the offer, objecting to the percentage* system, as dilTercn- H tinting between the higher and lower ( , grade men. The Federation is prepared v to reopen negotiations, and meanwhile '1 it is arranging to take a strike ballot. t The miners' delegates decided to-day r , whether they would resume' negotiations with Mr. Lloyd George, who yesterday met the delegates and made 11 slightly moditicd offer.—(A. and N.Z. Cubic.) DRAMATIC SUDDENNESS. THREAT OF RAILWAY TROUBLE COAL EXPORTS CEASING. (Received 11 a.m.) LONDON, .March 26. ( The country is confronted with drnmatir suddenness with the possibility of a national strike of the miners, and with serious trouble on the railways. Mr. ' Lloyd George addressed a letter to the executive committee of the Miners' , Federation, stating he did not desire to meet them again, which is interpreted to mean that negotiations are broken ' off. Two thousand railwayman of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Company are striking owing to the suspension of a driver for refusing to relieve another driver after he himself had done his day's work. Mr. .1. Thomas, president of'the A.F.R.S., says that the union's executive will support the strike. The London underground railwayman threaten to suspend the Kaster holiday traffic unless the Railway Fares Bill im- . mediately passes the House of Commons, authorising an increase of fares, which will enable them to receive an increase of wages on a sliding scale, which the rest of the railwaymen are receiving. Mr. Thomas, in the House of Commons, voiced the underground railway-men's decision. Mr. Bonar Law indicated that if the House were willing to curtail discussion on the Consolidated Bill, time could be found for the measure. One hundred and sixty-two dele- - gates attended the miners' confer- : enee, over which Private Herbert Smith presided. He complained tiat the tenor of Mr. Lloyd George's speech, in which he declared the country should combine against syndicalism of such a typeMr. Smith, referring to Mr. Lloyd George's accusation that the miners' proposal to take excess profits was syndicalism of the worst type, 'said the , miners' demand was perfectly legitimate and was made by a group of workers i whose intentions were as fair and above- . board as any group in the land, whether political or industrial. The represcnta- . tives of South Wales emphasised that . their members would accept nothing less - than the full amount. Indeed they were by no means satisfied with the 3/. After the conference the delegates said that the miners of South Wales even threaten to strike independently if the Federation accepts less than 3/. South Wales considers that as the chief exporting coalfield it is carrying the rest of the industry on its back. Delegates state that %W exports of .. coal from the United Kingdom are ceas- ' ing. The coal brought to the pitheads [ is being directed to the industrial centres. The Government ig making every pre- , paration to carry on the industries in , the event of a strike. The Government's j 20 per cent offer equals an increase Iper shift of 1/11 for adults and lid for boys, j Mr. J. Hodge described the situation as being most critical. Several offers were made, but the desired increase of 3/ a shift was not granted. The result will be reported at to-morrow's conference of delegates, which is bound to gravely consider the whole position.— (A. and N.Z. Cable.)