HOURS IN MINES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 505, 12 May 1909, Page 7

HOURS IN MINES.

BRITISH ACT. REDUCTIONS IN V/ACES REFUBED. SCOTLAND AND WALES. lex TiiEaiurn—iMtEss association—coprmani.) (Rco. May 11, 11.20 p.m.) London, May 11. With regard to the colliery-owners' proposals to reduce wages in connection with the coming into ..operation of tho Eight Hours Act, the deadlock, continuos. The Scottish Miners' Federation refused to accept a reduction in wages of 12J per cent. Tho coal-mastors' and tho men's delegates afterwards discu.ssed'tho situation, but failed to agrco, and their conference was adjourned till Hay 22. Eight thousand men aro affected. Tho South Wales coal-mastors proposo a reduction in wages of 7$ per cent. This tho men have declined to accept. The dispute has boon referred to Lord St. Aldwyn as chairman of tho Conciliation Board. A joint conference of steelmakers' employees at Swansea decided in favour.of a gonoral eight-hours day in trade, 'terms of the act-liberals in DEFENCE. The main provisions of the Eight Hours Act areas under :— (1) Subject to the provisions of this.. Act a workman shall not,bo bolow ground in a mine for the purpose of his work, and of going to and from his work, or be allowed to be below ground for that purpose, for more than the lime fixed by this section during any consecutive twenty-four hours.' ' ■■'.. ■ ■••■• !'!' " (2V The time fixed by this section is, during tho period beginning on the commencement of this Act (January 1, 1909), and ending on June 80, 1910, nine hours, and thereafter eight hours. 'On not. more than 60 days a year the hours may be extended, but,not by more than one_ Ipur a day. •.; '. '■'.■' ./ • .■ ~ ." "His Majesty may, in.tho event of.war or of imminent national danger or great emergency, in the event of' any grave • economic disturbance due to the demand for coal exceeding the supply, available at. the time, by Order in .Counoil suspend the 'operation of this Act to such extent and for such perio'd as may : be named in tho Order, either as respects all coal mines or any class, of .coal mines. , In Lancashire the ordinary-hours; of hewers" below ground are nine and a half, and of other workers below ground ton arid a-half. This is on the authority of Mr. i Herbert Samuel, pne of the; Liberal' Ministers.:'. In answer'.to the argument that the Bill strikes at cheapness of production,' Mr. Churchill, President of the Board of Trade,. remarked in the Houso of Commons:— . •;■■ '■ : ■:'•' : ....••'• : ■."Wβ'on this sido are great admirers of oheap r ness of -production; bat-.why should cheapness of; production always' be achieved at the-.ex-of'the-human'factor? Has he (Mr. Bonar law) considered the relation of .miners' -wages to tho selling'price - of-', coal P . At '..the pit's mouth tho underground workers' wages are only CO per cent, of the selling price of coal. Freo on hoard on the Tyne'the proportion.is only 38 per cent. As coal iii sold here in the South of England the proportion is less than one-fifth of the whole, price. Is it not dear that there aro other factors'at least which: require con-, sideration before you: decide to "deal, with the human:factor? What , about mining royalties? In all this talk about; the importance of cheap coal to_our industries/we have had no mention of mining royalties.' .Yet it is estimated that mining royalties itnpqso a toll of 0 por cent. calculated on tho'price, of coal at the pit's month." ; '.;.. . •■■ : I■•"..•': '■'■: '. '. , ;-