BRITISH COAL INDUSTRY

Evening Star, Issue 20118, 7 March 1929, Page 14

BRITISH COAL INDUSTRY

REMEDIES FOR UNEMPLOYMENT PROPOSALS BY MINERS* FEDERATION INTERVIEW WITH PRIME MINISTER. , (British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. RUGBY, March 6. (Received March 7, at noon.) A joint report is officially issued of yesterday’s interview between the Prime Minister, who was accompanied by other Ministers, and the executive of the Miners’ Federation. Mr Herbert Smith (president of the Miners’ Federation) emphasised the low wages and the large amount of unemployment ruling in the mining industry, and suggested as remedies superannuation of older miners, the raising of the school leaving age in the mining areas, the abolition of the eight-hour day, and the international division of foreign markets. Mr A. J. Cooke pressed for a national scheme to prevent an unduly low twice for coal in consequence of competition, and for steps by the Goveniment to secure more rapid development of processes for the scientific treatment of coal. The Prime Minister reviewed the position of the mining industry generally. .He expressed the opinion that the present increase in the demand for coal was not entirely due to climatic conditions, and had indeed been apparent, though to a less degree, before the weather conditions throughout Europe, had had any effect. As regards amalgamations and other forms of organisations within Ah© industry, the Prime Minister thought that these were making satisfactory progress, and direct Government intervention would not bo advantageous. He pointed out that the increased demand for coal had been met almost entirely by fuller employment for those on the colliery books without any substantial increase in the number employed. Even with improvement in trade there would still be a big surplus of labour in the mining areas, and in his view the most important matter to bo dealt with at the present time was the transfer of the surplus unemployed miners into employment In other industries. He appealed to the officials of the Miners’ Federation ro use their influence in the mining areas to ensure that full advantage was taken of the Government’s schemes for training and . transferring boys and adults in order that they might have the benefit of the opportunity that existed for employment in other parts of the country. Mr Herbert Smith referred to the evidence given before the League of Nations last week by Mr Tawney in favour of international regulation of markets. The Prime Minister promised carefully to consider the evidence.