LABOUR DISPUTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 776, 28 March 1910, Page 7

LABOUR DISPUTES.

THE WELSH MINERS.

EFFECTS OF THE EIGHT HOURS*

'BULLIED AND CAJOLED."

I)y Teleera»h-Press AssoclaUon-Oopyrlcht

(Rec. March 27, 5 p.m.) London, March 26. - Mr. Wadsworth, M.P. (secretary of tho Yorkshire Miners' Association), sneaking at Denaby, said tbo Association was determined to support tho South Wales miners. If it was true that the cost of production would bo increased, tho increase must' bo borne by the consumers, and not taken out of .the bono and.sinew of tho, Welsh miners. ■• .

London, March 25. The President of the Board of Education. (Mr. Rraciman), speaking at South Shields, said'tho eight hours day in the coal trade had dislocated trade and rendered thousands idle. Should a great strike occur, suffering would penetrate to hundreds of thousands of hdinos. \ Nobody had heeded Mr. Herbert Gladstone's advico to consumers to bestir themselves to prevent the pas-, sage of the Eight Hours' Bill.- The consumers were chiefly blameablo, but both political parties were, culpably, responsible for allowing themselves to bo bullied and cajoled into adopting a sinister policy. . ■-;■ '■;■'•: A; NOVA SCOTIA STRIKE. X- LEGISLATION. ■';'■:■ (Rec. March 27, 5 p:m.) Ottawa, March 26. Labour circles in Canada have been exasperated by the Dominion Coal: and Iron Company of Nova Scotia arranging to .import a thousand English., min-ers-to replace strikers, and a private Bill has been introduced in the Nova Scotia Legislature: making the recognition' by masters of trade unions compulsory' and forbidding the importation of strike-breakers.

; SITUATION IN WALES. ■ Early in February the South Wales coalowners were served with notice by tho colliers working on tonnage rates demanding payment for small coal. This was the-men's answor to the- owners claim that the men should work the extra 60 hours under the Eight Hours Act. Notice was also given of the intention of the men to apply for an increase of 2i per cent, in wages, to take effect from March. 1. ' Mr. Burt, M.P., in a recent report to the Northumberland miners, stated that the situation with regard to the Eight Hours Act was grave, and that there was great, risk of.a general strike or lock-out, which he strongly, deprecated. . .'.--- ■ ■ ■;- . :'■".,' The Cardiff, correspondent of. the "Times" reported early in February as follows:—For Some weeks past, while coal- markets if. other districts too. been anything.but brisk, Welsh colliery ownars, taking advantage of a rush ot business following tho long penodi of tonnage delays, have, advanced .their prices. Not only' haye they done this in.regard to coal for parly shipment, but for February loading have been demanding still higher figures, and' for March can. hardly be got to quote'at aU The-reason for the advance is tho uncertainty' as to the labour situation and- v the - .-strong' . foar .of- a look-out; in- the. ■ field- -at .the -..-end- of; - March. This situation has been a. favourable opportunity for German and _ American colliery- owners' to secure': business_ : that would: otherwise ■ have come to, .South Wales'. It was-reported on the Cardiff Exchange that among others who had placed'orders for American coals were tho well-known Italian shipping undertaking carried on under the title of the ■Navigazione Generale Italiana, who were stated to have made contracts amounting to 100,000 tons. The Germans have been especially assiduous in wooing for-, eign . customers for Welsh coal, and there is no doubt that buyers, abroadare becoming exasperated with the constant strikes ;or thieats of labour: troubles in' South Wales. Rather than repeat; their experiences of last year they have given orders to the Germans for as long as six months or more, and German shippers are actually sending their freight lists to Welsh and Northcountry shipowners, inviting them to offer boats to carry, the German coals to Mediterranean and other ports;