MINING DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 231, 24 June 1921, Page 5

MINING DISPUTE

BRITISH BLAST FURNACES STOPPED STAFFORDSHIRE MINERS RETURN TO WORK By Telegraph—Frees Association —Copyright (Rec. June 23, 10.20 p.m.) London, June 22. Since the New Year seventy million working days have been lost owing to labour disputes. For the first time in the history of the industry in Britain not a single blast furnace is operating. Normally three hundred would be working. It will cost .£5OOO to rekindle each furnace, so at least a million sterling must be expended to re-establish the industry in which 325,000 workmen are now idle. The only development in the coal dispute is the fixing of a joint conference for Saturday between fhe miners’ executive and the other trade unions threatened with wage cuts. The miners are not building much hope upon a general strike. It is more probable that an Wort will bo made to secure bigger financial support for file miners. Speaking nt a mass meeting at Merthyr, Mr. Noah Ablett advocated the withdrawing of safety men from the mines to hasten tho end of what has become a trial of endurance. The stocks of coal in the country would soon be exhausted. The miners would still win if they stuck together, he said. The strikers tried to prevent the safety men working in the West Lothian mine to-day, but a detachment of Royal Scots was summoned and escorted the safety men to tho pits. Exciting scenes wore witnessed et Hollybank Colliery, Staffordshire. Five hundred miners started to work. A big body of strikers attempted to prevent them, but a hundred police’ arrived and guarded the colliery, enabling fhe five hundred to work unmolested though they were subjected to hostile demonstrations when returning to their homes.— Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.