THE COAL CRISIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 96, 24 April 1926, Page 9

THE COAL CRISIS.

NO SIGN OF SETTLEMENT. LOW WAGES THE CRUX. MR. BALDWIN'S EFFORTS. /By CaWe.—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received 2 p.m.) LONDON, April 23. Practically no progress was made at this morning's conference between the coal owners and the miners,.over which Mr. S. M. Baldwin, Prime Minister, presided. The owners on leaving the conference said they were returning to their districts forthwith. Each side adopted the Prime Minister's suggestion and appointed a small committee to carry on the negotiations. Mr. Baldwin will keep in touch with the committee. Conferring with the owners and miners, Mr. Baldwin emphasised that they must bear in mind that he was representing neither side, but the country, which was much more important than either. They must also remember they would have eventually to negotiate, which will be much more difficult after stoppage. Having heard the respective statements the Premier said: 'Tt is quite plain owners and miners will tie themselves into a pretty tight knot. My job is to get the knot untied or cut. It is perfectly impossible to reach a settle- ! ment in an assembly of this kind. There' fore I suggest that within two /hours each side appoint sub-committees, keeping themselves at my disposal. We must not forget we are working with a time limit." It is understood the Mines Department has prepared a loan scheme, upon which the Government, owners and miners each provide one third interest. The loan is contingent upon reorganisation of the industry, including the closing of non-paying pits. The abortive conference between the coalmine owners and the representatives of the miners lasted an hour and aquarter thin morning. No further meeting, was fixed. The executive of the Miners' Federation met this afternoon and placed the situation before the industrial committee of the Trades Union Congress. It is officially stated that after this meeting a deputation from the general council of the Trades Union Congress waited on the Prime Minister, Mr. Stanley Baldwin, and suggested that he should invite the representatives of the owners and miners to meet him with a vjew to a resumption of the negotiations. Mr. Baldwin agreed. He has invited, the Mining Association and the Miners' Federation to send representatives to meet him at 11 o'clock to-morrow (Friday) morning.

THE SUBSISTENCE WAGE. ' The general secretary of the Miners' Federation, Mr. A. J. Cook, made a statement regarding the . .conference which broke down. He said;— * -

"We met the coalmine owners at their request. Mr. Evan Williams, president of the Mining Association, presided. They definitely refused to discuss any minimum percentage applicable to the coalfields nationally, and said wages must be based on the economic capacity of the district affected.

"The owners refused to disclose the rates of wages and the conditions which they wish to be applied to the districts, but they stated that the . subsistence wage would be revised and reduced. Also they announced their intention of posting at the pitheads of the varfcws mines the conditions upon which the men can work' after May 1.

"That meant a complete deadlock," said Mr. Cook. He said the employers were as adamant as they had been at the previous meeting.

It is announced that notices intimating the new rates of wages are. to be posted at the pit-heads on various dates, commencing to-morrow. ■ ■ > ,»

THE CRUX. The secretary of the Mining Association. Mr. Lee, in a statement regarding the conference, says the miners made it clear that they were not prepared to negotiate except on the basis of a uni--form national percentage. The owners said they did not want to reduce wages, but in 'some districts, especially the exporting ones, the industry was in desperate straits owing to the competitive conditions which obtained abroad. This was really the crux of the whole position. The miners were quite adamant in their demand that there should be no extension of hours. It is learned on the highest authority that the Prime Minister again emphasised to the owners the fact that the subsidy will terminate on May 1. To what extent temporary assistance may be eiven by the Government will'depend entirely upon the situation which arises out ef the present negotiations.— (Reuter.)

"A MISERABLE WAGE."

j THE PROPOSED REDUCTIONS. LONDON, April ?3. General satisfaction is expressed that Sir. Baldwin has taken the coal situation in hand. The most shrewd observers were of the opinion that the matter could not be settled without the intervention of the Government. As the extent of the temporary assistance which the Government has promised to give after the subsidy ceases was not known, the owners naturally could not take that assistance into account when they were drawing up their new scale of wages. Consequently the proposed rates have caused consternation in the ranks of the miners, The "Daily Herald" says even the owners have admitted that they have provided for small -wages. The paper says Mr. Evan Williams, chairman of the Mining Association, is reported to have said to the men: "It is a miserable. wage we are proposing. If you would consider a longer working day we might be able to pay a decent wage." The "Herald" says the reductions range from 1/- a day-on the average wage in Yorkshire to 2/10 a day, in South Wales, and some grades lose as much as 8/ a day.— (A. and N.Z.)