THREAT OF CRISIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 125, 28 May 1932, Page 9

THREAT OF CRISIS.

British Coal Mine Agreement Expiring. GOVERNMENT STEPS IN. LONDON, May 27. The Coal Bill has been issued. It provides for a continuation until 1937 of the schemes already operating, for the production and supply and sale of coal and a continuation of the 7£ hours a day indefinitely. The question of wages is not mentioned.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Mines Department, Mr. Isaac Foot, stated in the House of Commons that, as the conversations between the miners and mineowners had not produced an agreement upon means of dealing with the problem which will j\rise in July, when the Coal Mines Act of 1931 expires, the initiative had devolved on the Government, which had decided at once to introduce the bill to deal with the situa-

The President of the Board of Trade, Mr. Walter Runeiman,, on arriving in the House late from luncheon, explained that lie had been detained with the executive of the Miners' Federation in an attempt to avert the coal crisis which was threatened if no arrangement were made before Julv 8.

The Miners' Federation later expressed profound surprise at the new bill and summoned a national conference for May 31, in view of the seriousness of the situation.