LITTLE ADVANCE.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18667, 16 April 1926, Page 9

LITTLE ADVANCE.

BRITISH COAL CRISIS. MANY CONFERENCES HELD. (BT CASU—P&ISB ASSOCIATION—COPTBIGHT.) CSBTrrZS'S TELEGRAMS.) (Received April 15th, 7.5 p.m.) LONDON, April 14. The series of meetings being held all day long have apparently done little to advance tho settlement of the coal The most important of the meetings has been that ,f tho Miners' Executive and the Trade Union Congress Industrial Committee, at which the last named protested against the action o the owners in abandoning the national negotiations, and reiterated its determination to support the miners in their resistance of the degradation of a standard living. At an owners' conference Sir A. Steel-Maitland, Minister for Labour, announced his intention to post notices terminating the agreement on April 30th. In tho meantime he offered to confer with the minors' district associations regarding the local regular tion of wages. A deputation of the Trades Union Congress to-night conferred with Mr Stanley Baldwin for an hour, but declined to isstte i statement. LABOUR'S ACCUSATION. (BEOTEB'S TELEGBAMB.) (Received April loth, 11.5 p.m.) LONDON, April 15. Messrs Smith and Cook, the miners' leaders, were due to leave for Brussels to-night to attend the International Conference, but postponed their departure in consequence of Mr Stanley Baldwin intimating a desire to communicate with them to-morrow. It is understood that members of the Trade Union Congress, including Mr Thomas, told the Prime Minister that the owners were not observing the spirit of the Commission's recommendations, by insisting on district negotiations prior to a National settlement.