BRITISH COAL TRADE

Evening Star, Issue 20321, 1 November 1929, Page 9

BRITISH COAL TRADE

THE GOVERNMENT’S PROPOSALS SUBMITTED TO OWNERS AND MINERS Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, October 31. The Government has privately submitted its coal proposals to the owners and to the miners, and it is understood that they confirm the previous forecasts. In addition, the Government proposes to create a xiool as a means of a levy upon the output, from which it will grant assistance to coal export and other sections of the trade. , [A message received- on October 25 read as follows:—After a meeting today between the Cabinet Committee and the officials of the Miners’ Federation. it was stated that the final proposals of the Government in regard to the coal industry would be given in writing to the Miners’ Federation next Wednesday. It is understood that the difficulty at the moment primarily concerns tlio wages issue. The Government is prepared to redeem its election pledges to amend the Eight-hour Day Act by the substitution of either a t - hour day, with one winding time or, it the miners prefer eight hours, a bank-to-bank day; but tho Government cannot guarantee that there shall be no reduction of wages. It is not possessed of the power to do so. The most it can do, and it is seeking to do it, is to obtain an assurance-from tho coal owners that they will not reduce wages. Thus far it is stated that the assurance has not been forthcoming. The owners maintain that a reduction of hours would lead to a reduction of output, and foreign markets could be retained only by reducing the basis of the rates of wages. But in any case the Government intends to proceed with legislation for the reduction of hours, and it is proposed that this shall become imperative in April next.]

The parliamentary correspondent of ‘The Times’ in a recent article said: The members of the Government now realise that the most important legislation to come before Parliament in the autumn session will be that dealing with the future of the coal industry. Legislation will be introduced into the House of Commons early in November, and it is intended to press for its passage through both Houses of Parliament before the Christmas recess. There is complete confidence in Ministerial circles that a majority for the proposals can be obtained in the House of Commons, and, as a matter of fact, little opposition is anticipated. The two points which will be definitely dealt, with in the Bill are miners’ hours and the giving to the Government of compulsory powers over collieries the owners of which will not fall in with schemes of output and selling price control which are agreed to by a majority of the owners in the area. On the question of hours it may he stated confidently that there is no question of an immediate restoration of tho seven-hour day. The Government has made it clear on many occasions that it has no desire to do anything which would cripple the attempts of the industry to put its house in order, and it is recognised that an immediate seven-hour day might be a disastrous leap in the dark. What the Government is anxious to secure is that any improvement in the prosperity of the industry shall be reflected in the miners’ conditions of service, and it is hopeful that at the outset the owners may bo willing to consider some concession, such as an eight-hour day from bank to bank as a first instalment. The owners are still adamant in their objection to a national agreement or national negotiations with the Miners’ Federation, and the Government Bill will certainly _ contain no attempt to force the Mining Association to recognise the Miners’ Federation. There are two other important matters which may be included in the Bill, hut on which no definite decision lias yet been taken by the Cabinet. The first is the acquisition of the mining royalties by the State, and tho second is special pensions for elderly miners.