FATEFUL JUNCTURE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 95, 23 April 1926, Page 7

FATEFUL JUNCTURE.

COAL OWNERS AND MEN. : -NO AGREEMENT. 'MOST SERIOUS SITUATION.. -', j ... . 'jX ■*: v | (By Cable.—Press Association;—^-Copyright!) .-'.. .-''*■ (Received 1 p.m.) '•'■ .' LONDON, April 22. The Coal Conference lasted seventyfive minutes. Xo further meeting was fixed. •. - .* The miners' executive will jpeet this afternoon to place the situation before the industrial committee of the Trade Union Congress. It is expected the Government will intervene almost immediately. Mr. A. J. Cook, general secretary of the Miners' Federation, in a statement said: "We met tbe coal owners at their request, Mr. Evan Williams, president of the Mining Association, presiding. They definitely refused to discuss any minimum percentage applicable to coalfields national]}*, and declared that wages miist bo based on the economic capacity of the district affected. They refused to disclose the rates of wages and conditions to be applied to districts, but stated that the - subsistence wage must be revised and reduced. They announced their intention of posting at the pitheads the' proposed rates of wages and conditions upon which the men could work from May 1." Mr. Cook added that 'that meant a complete deadlock, and he described the employers as being as adamant as at last meeting. "• -..-,.. ~,'. • It is ; announced that notices intimating the new rates wages shall be posted at pitheads on various dates, commencing to-morrow. The conference between the parties to 'the coalmining dispute has broken down. "The coal is very delicate." Such was the laconic'official statement which was issued* yesterday at the conclusion of a conference "of coalmine owners. * The executive of the Miners' Federation held lengthy meetings at which it discussed plans for ensuring the safety .of the mines in the event of a stoppage on May 1. ,It also- considered the owners' proposals for a new national agreement. Tlie proposed agreement would substantially differ in form from the present agreement ihasmuch as it would omit a national, uniform, minimum rate of wages which is at present 33£ per cent over the standard rates. The chief-point at tbe conference between the owners and the men to-day was the question of national, uniform, minimitm percentages in districts in which the owners proposed to establish them - subject, to ratification ,by the National Board.' ' Jt is reported in well-informed circles that Mr. Baldwin is opposed to the owners' demand f6r district agreements.—(Remier.) \