BRITISH COAL PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 69, 15 December 1919, Page 9

BRITISH COAL PROBLEM

S - A DEADLOCK MINERS REFUSE THE NEW BILL fly Telegraph—Progs Association—Ooprright (Rec. December 14, 5.5 p.m.) London, December 13. Speaking in the House of Comnnns on the motion for the second reading of the Coal Industry Emergency Bill, Sir Auckland Geddes admitted that it was difficult to find enthusiastic supporters, but the crisis earlier in the year and the present crisis were justification for the Bill, which automatically followed tlio Government's acceptance of the Sankey report. It, also limited the profit to Is. 2d. per ton. _ The industry was now in such a condition that something must be done, j hut if control were suddenly dropped chaos would ensue. The Bill was only intended as an emergency measure to the end of March. The Government did not regard the limitation of profits as sound in principle, and would absolutely oppose such a method of dealing with the industry in normal times. Mr. Leslie Scott moved the rejection of the Bill. A curious situation developed during the debate. Mr. Adnmson (Labour) announced that. Labour refused to support the measure, the miners' executive havine that dav decided that the Bill was not acceptable. Mr. Hartshorn said that the miners did not obicct to tho limitation of profits. but they did object to the limitation of the Bill's currency. lie warned tho (lovernment that thero would be a terrific, eruption in the mining industry when the Bill expired in March. ■ Members pointed out that Labour's refusal of the Bill completely altered tho position. Mr Bonnr Law announced that the withdrawn! of the Bill, involving the continuance of the existing system of control, woufyl result in great financial difficulti"?. owing to the recent reduction of Ifts. in the price of household coal. Ho agreed to an ndiournuipiit, hnpinsr that a solution would lm found.—Mis.-N.Z. Cable Assn. TTNEXPLOITED RESOURCES. London, December 11 A mining expert estimates that there is sufficient, coal in the Enstlnlhinn and Midlothian areas to last for five hundred vcars, producing at the rale of six million tons a vcar-Aus.-N.7i. Cable Assn. COAL LOSS TN AMERICAN STRIKE. Washington, December 11. The National Coal Association has es- ' timated thai the coal strike has re,suited in I lie of 112 million dollars by the workers in the mining industry—A lis.Nl. Cable Assn.