STUBBORN OWNERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 213, 8 September 1926, Page 7

STUBBORN OWNERS.

CHURCHILL PLEADS IN VAIN. THEN ADDS A WARNING. MEN'S DESIBE FOR PEACE. (By Cable.—?Ks3 A«ocla::;:.—i.-:?7:Un.v.' 3eceived l pin- , LONTK'X, Serr.ember 7. Fc'loWis the conference w;th memfcn of Che the Mining Association to-day leaded to rerer ::i* question r reconstituting the as- '•iatien as a national b- ■!;.■ :o t:ie districts. It is tiut -.-.:: l-jciii-ju will be avaiUbl-i bofore M :. lay. A number ■ : co.il. ■•Vγ..:r- , associations still oppose a e.-.rV.enwat. out the threat chat the may create an industrial court i= likely to canse them t>? rMon'ider "he matter. The "Evening Standard" is or opinion that Mr. Churchill «'iii a?:< the miners to district settlement*, en condition that the Government will undertake to give the agreements a national status hy means "i legri-latinn An official report of the meeting: between members or the Cabinet and the representatives of the coal owners shows that Mr. Churchill and the others pleaded with the owr.ers to meet the miners and to discus? with them the questions at issue, including a national agreement. Mr. Evan William', president of the Mining , Association, said the latter would not enter into negotiation* with the Miners' Federation for a national agreement. There had never been peace in the coalmining industry since they had had national agreements. Mr. Churchill said that if the Mining Association had finally decided never to ne<*oti~.te on a national basis the Government would have to move forward upon its own course of action in the association's absence. He said he earnestly hoped the association would geek from its constituents authority to enter iroon a discussion. It would be a very serious disaster for the association to take up an unalterable attitude at present. Mr. Williams said they could not seek power to do what they felt was wrong, tut they would submit the facts to a meeting of their central committees today and take their opinion. Sir. Churchill contended that the Govirnment was justified in believing that when it introduced the Mines Eight Hours Bill there was no question of departing from negotiations for a national agreement. He said he was quite sure that if the Government had known that after the passage of that bill the national agreement door to peace would have been closed it would never lave passed the bill into law. AN EARNEST CHANCELLOR. The Chancellor earnestly asked the jnineowners to consider most carefully their attitude to the request of the Government and then to meet the men in an open, unprejudiced discussion. He said he honestly believed there had been a change of heart on the part of the miners, and that there was an earnest ■wish for peace on their part and a willingness to discuss the situation on its merits with a sincere desire to secure the greatest benefits for all concerned on every aspect of the question. Mr. Churchill then referred to the letter sent by the Miners' Federation to the Government, in which it had said: "We are prepared to enter into negotiations for a new national agreement with i> view to a reduction in labour costs to meet the immediate necessities of the industry.' . The Chancellor said the expression ''reduction in labour costs" in the letter Jtad been deliberately chosen. It covered everything—wages, hours, and the reorganisation of the industry. Mr. Williams asserted that the Government had never suggested that the Eight Hours Bill was passed conditionally upon a national agreement being made. He said it was clearly understood between the Government and the association that there was no questiorr of a general resumption of work in all the mines simultaneously, but that it should be resumed by the districts. The Minister of Labour. Sir Arthur Bteel-Maitland, the Secretary of State for War, Sir L. Worthington-Evans. and £he First Lord of the Admiralty, Mr. W. C. Bridgeman, argued in favour of putting district agreements in a form which fould be ratified by the representatives pf the owners on a national basis.— (A. pad 2STJL) , OWNERS ABE STUBBORN. 'KO NATIONAL AGREEMENT. I LOIS'DO"', September 7. Mr. Winston Churchill and members ef the Strike Committee and Cabinet had A long discussion with a delegation from the Mining Association, without result, the association declaring its inability to make a national agreement. The gathering brake up witnuut any arrangement for a further meeting, but the mine owners are consulting ta= representatives of the district associations.— (A. and N.Z.)