OWNERS' SCHEME.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 143, 18 June 1926, Page 7

OWNERS' SCHEME.

EIGHT HOURS DAY.

CRISIS MAY BE OVERCOME. THE THREE CATEGORIES. MINER AND HIS WAGES. (By fable. — Tress Assoe-iat lon.—Copyright.) LONDON, j une 17. it is understood lb, 11: ineowners are preparing a scheme lor reopening the nits on the eight, hours basis. The coalfields will be divided into three categories, first, pit- where wages have not been reduced: second, pits where the red-jctiou is under 10 per cent, and, third, pits where the reduction, if possible, will not exceed 10 per cent. The last-named will probably include tbe three export districts, Durham, Northumberland and South Wales. As many of the pits as possible will be included in the first category. GOVERNMENT POLICY CONDEMNED. The coalmining dispute was considered at a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour party at which -Mr. llamsay MacDonald presided. The meeting passed a resolution condemning tlie policy of the Government in connection witli the dispute, as declared by the Prime Minister, Mr. Stanley Baldwin, in the House of Commons yesterday. It was decided to offer strenuous resistance to Mr. Baldwin's proposals.

The general secretary of the Miners' Federation, Mr. A. J. Cook, in the course of a hitter statement, said: "Instead of bringing peace Mr. Baldwin's statement will cause Labour to unshcath tbe sword in defence of its standard of living.

"Mr. Baldwin lias confirmed what we always thought, namely, that be is nothing more nor less than tlie advocate of the coalmine owners. He has sided with the owners in the face of the finding of his own Coal Commission against an increase in working hours. lie must have known flint such a suggestion would be fought to tbe last ditch by the miners, probably by the whole body of organised Labour.

"No attempt to lengthen the hours of the miners by legislation will be agreed to, even if starvation drives back the miners to conditions which they have always resisted. There will be strong and solid opposition to working more than seven hours a day.

"No arrangements have been made to recall the executive of the federation to London. It is obvious that while the situation continues as it is at present, there will be no solution of the dispute."— (A. and N.Z.-Reuter.)

RED ROUBLES

SOVIET AID AT HOME. LONDON, June 17. The "Daily Mail" says the Covernment lias decided not to take any action to prevent the Russian Soviet sendine; assistance to the British miners.— (Sydney "Sun.")