ANOTHER DRIVE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 247, 18 October 1926, Page 7

ANOTHER DRIVE.

[MINERS PREPARE OFFENSIVE. vßj , ,;b:e. —Press association. —Copyrigi:.:LONDON, October 17. The Miners' Executive has formed a central war council which will meet at Nottingham on October lit to carry our the Midland campaign. " . The executive lias issued a statement that the districts will defend the conditions antecedent to the deadlock. The committee is arranging methods for the withdrawal of the safety men and a special meeting of the Trades L'nion Council will consider ihe request lor a levy and an embargo on foreign coal. The miners have been requested to cease producing coal. The federation is also endeavouring to enlist the aid of Labour members of the House of Commons in a national campaign. In the words of one delegate: "The executive will become a travelling general headquarters. It intends to intensify the struggle." The miners claim that a secret ballot taken in Nottinghamshire resulted in an overwhelming majority in favour of stopping work and of supporting the policy of the federation. HILLSIDE BATTLE. There was a serious riot at Port Albert, South Wales, when returning miners were attacked by strikers and their wives. The casualty list numbers 4, persons, including 12 policemen and three women. Some of the injuries were serious. Fight miners were working under the protection of 20 policemen, and they were suddenly attacked by a mob of 500 miners armed witii sticks and other weapons. The police were overwhelmed. Reinforcements were sent along, and a baton charge followed and repelled the attackers, who retreated up the hill, and from the higher ground rolled large boulders down on the police, injuring four, LABOUR AND THE STRIKE. COOK AND THE LEADERS. LOXDOX", October 17. The Labour Conference at its concluding session debated the scales of poor law relief issued by the Ministry of Health, and which were declared inadequate.

Miss Susan LawI rence (M.P. for East 1 Ham) moved the | motion, and said | that thousands of I miners were denied I relief while other I families had only 5/ I per week. This was i to make the miners j accept any wages ! offered as a settleI ment because of • their misery.

Miss S. Lawrence. The Minister of Health (Mr. Neville Chamberlain) was freely abused. Such nicknames as "Tinpot Mussolini," "King of Baby-killers," and "Minister of Death" were used. Prior to the departure of the general secretary of the Miners' Federation, Mr. A. J. Cook, from London for the coalfields, he shid: "The Labour Conference, including the president, Mr. Robert Williams, and Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald, instead of encouraging the miners, joined hands with the mineowners and the Government in attacking us. Neither Mr. Williams, Mr. Mac Donald. Mr. J. H. Thomas nor Mr. Frank Hodges represents the British workers. The miners have finished with that united quartet.'' ALLEGED SLANDER. WRIT FOR HERBERT SMITH. (Received 1 p.m.) LOXDOX, October 17. Sir Samuel Instone, president of the Askern Coal and Iron Co., Ltd., has issued a writ against Mr. Herbert Smith, president of the Miners' Federation, for an alleged slander contained in a speech made at lustone's Colliery, Askern.