DANGER LESSENS

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 58, 2 December 1930, Page 11

DANGER LESSENS

British Coal Crisis AGREEMENTS MADE Disputes Narrow Down SCOTS AREAS ADAMANT By Telearapß-“Pr««» Association —Copyright. (ftw, December 1,11.60 p.m.) London, December 1. There is a general belief that despite the attitude Of the Scottish miners, the coal position has improved during the Week-end. The miners are now persuaded that it is foolish to reject the spread-over of hours which is acceptable in many districts. The danger of a national Stoppage appears thus io bo removed. “There is nothing to be alarmed about,” said Mr. D. Shinwell, Secretary of Mines, in a statement dealing With the Crisis. “Whatever happens will be of short duration. The men displayed great forbearance in trying circumstances.” ’ . . . It is now certain that in all me mining areas except the Scottish coalfields, work will continue as usual tomorrow. May Make Peace. In Scotland, the Union of Scottish Mine Workers decided on Saturday to et'asb work from to-day, consequently shift) did not descend the mines this afternoon, but there is a strong hope that meetings fixed for to-morrow morning will result in hh arrangement whereby work will soon be resumed. Mr. DoonrtU, president of the Scottish mine workers) commenting on the decision of the Miners’ Federation delegates conference to refuse to permit districts to accept a sprCadover of hours, declared that the owners’ terms were a violation of the Coalminers Act of 1930. Fbf told reason there would bo absolute unanimity among the miners in resisting them, Thd conference felt it was therefore unnecessary to make an urgent airpeal to the miners. , . . Temnorary agreements have been readied” in Warwickshire, Cumberland, and Lancashire. Meeting at Cardiff. Saturday’s meeting of Scottish delegates, which decided to cease work, was taking place at the same time as a similar meeting at among the South Wales mining delegates, where a decision to continue work was reached. south 'Wales is a much more important coalfield and Was, in fact, regarded as the danger point of the situation. The settlement reached there provides grounds for" expectations that to-mor-row’s meetings in Scotland Will lead to a resumption of work. Actually, the agreement reached by the South Wales owners and miners provided for work on eleven, days of eight hours daily during a fortnight. This gives 88 hours for the fortnight, as against a permissible 00 hours’ fortnight if the hours’ day per Working Week, as laid down by the new Coal Mines Act, were adhered to rigidly. , ~ The South Wales acceptance of the spread-over arrangement, even temporarily, is regarded as a definite .defiance of the, National Federation’s decision Men Want Settlement. Mr. A. Cook, secretary of the Miners’ federation, Stated that, despite the delegate Conference’s decision, he was hopeful of a final settlement, and would do all he could to prevent a stoppage. He was sure the workmen were anxious for a temporary settlement in view of the operation of the Mines Act. and until next Thursday’s Federation Conference, When the miners, in the light of present facts, •would hove the opportunity to reconsider tile whole position, The "Daily Herald,“ the Labotir. organ, expresses the view that, “If a respite can be gained by preventing stoppages on Monday, there is every ground for the hope that before next Week is out the Government's good Offices will effect general settlement. In certain coalfields the owners proposed originally to the miners that a spread-over of five day of eight hours and a five-hour Saturday should be worked after December 1, instead of the 7ahour day laid down in the Coalmines Act. In Lancashire' the proposal, tentatively broached in September was formally laid before the Joint Wages Board a month later, in South Wales the owners proposed it to the joint'committee of the Conciliation Board. It is indicated now that in South Wales an agreement has been reached ott a fortnightly basis. At the height of war wages aria for some time afterward, until the great coal Strike, the British miner, was malting in many cases from £lO to £2O a week, and families, not knowing what to do with' the money, wasted a good deal, on luxuries. To-day the miner, though his nominal Wages mgy be higher than in 1914, is really, because Of the cost of living, much worse off. In 1914 the average for the Country was 0/51 a day; recently it has been estimated nt 9/1. Figures supplied from the mine Owners of Lancashire, Cheshire, nnd North Staffordshire show that the average daily wage in these Counties before tile wnr Was 5/11. In October of 1922 it was 8/8 L