THE COAL INDUSTRY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 184, 6 August 1925, Page 7

THE COAL INDUSTRY.

HELP FROM THE STATE.

PARTY BICKERING.

(By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.)

LONDON, August 5."

The various political parties have held meetings preparatory to Thursday's debate in the House of Commons on the coal subvention.

The Labour members passed a resolution emphasising their solidarity and their determination to uphold the miners. The Liberals decided to oppose the subsidy.

The Conservative industrialists resolved to demand assurances from the Prime Minister, Mr. Stanley Baldwin, that the subvention to the coal industry shall be limited to nine months and shall not be repeated in the case of any other industry.

It is understood that Mr. Baldwin will express his concurrence with that view.

Mr. A. J. Cook, general secretary of the Miners' Federation, interviewed by the "Daily Chronicle," said the miners will endeavour to clear up before the Royal Commission the point as to why coal, which is priced at 17/ to 18/ per ton at pit-head, costs the consumer £2 per ton. He said the miners will prove that their wages are utterly inadequate; that the industry is overcapitalised and needs reorganising in respect to production, distribution and finance.

"We contend," said Mr. Cook, "that the subvention is due to the inefficiency in the industry."—(A. and N.Z. Cable")

CAUSE OF THE CRISIS.

UNSALEABLE STOCKS.

WORLD OVER-PRODUCTION.

GENEVA, August 5.

The International Labour Bureau has issued striking statistics showing the world's coal industry to be in a serious condition, and approaching bankruptcy. The bureau states that Germany "is saddled with 10,000,000 tons of unsaleable coal, Belgium with 1,500,000 tons and Poland with 1.000,000 tons.

Britain has 500 pits closed and a quarter of her miners unemployed. In the Saar Valley 74.000 miners" had struck for higher wages. In the Ruhr 116,000 miners had been dismissed and another 40,000 were under notice. Poland had SO.OOO miners out of work. 4

The bureau says the crisis is due to a steady increase in coal production, and a constant diminution in the demand owing to the use of electric and petrol produced power.

Britain had suffered worse owing to I her failure to introduce modern machinery and methods in the coal pits. Britain's present crisis would have occurred two years ago, but for the occupation of the Ruhr and the consequent importation to Germany of British coal. Germany had now regained her pre-war coal export trade, but Britain's had seriously declined. The Admiralty, in 1024, only bought 273,000 tons, compared with 1,697,000 tons in 1913.—(A. "and N.Z:) j 1 ■ COAL IN AMERICA. WHAT MR. COOLIDGE SAYS. NO APPEARANCE OF STRIKE. c ?i„ WASHINGTON,' July 21. President Coolidge says he does not believe that there is any real danger of a great coal strike occurring in America this winter, but telegrams from Atlantic City, where a conference between the miners and mine operators is proceeding, tell a diffferent story. Van Bitner, the miners' leader in West Virginia, has telegraphed to the Secretary of Labour, Mr. J. J. Davis, that defenceless wives and children are being evicted from their homes, and that ' gunmen are being employed to coerce the miners. Similar telegrams have been sent to : Mr. John D. Rockefeller, the chief mine- ' owner. Van Bitner demands that the Government take a definite position against the abrogation of wage contracts. The operators in conference refused to open their books to the miners or to dis- , close data regarding the salaries of the company officials. A PUNISHMENT OF LABOUR. TAXATION PROPOSALS. (Received 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, August 5. The political correspondent of the "Daily News" says that the beer tax suggestion emanated from Conservative quarters where the Government's humiliation is deeply resented. There is a keen desire to inflict some punishment upon organised labour, but there is no justification for supposing the Government will impose a beer tax. Higher taxes are probable in 192G in view of the steady rise in national expenditure, but other classes of taxpayers will be the selected victims.— ("Sun.") TO RAISE THE MONEY. NO EXTRA BEER DUTY. LONDON, August 5. It is stated that reports to the effect that the Government intends to increase the duty on beer are without foundation. The reports originated in the statements of political correspondents, who hinted at the likelihood of the Chancel- , lor of the Exchequer, Mr. Winston Churchill, paying the cost of the coal subsidy by addinj? one penny a pint to the beer duty. That action, they said, would yield £20,000,000. • It was pointed out that the large breweries are making considerable profits and that the industry regards increases in direct taxation as impossible.— (A. and N.Z. Cable.)