COAL STRIKE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 6 August 1926, Page 7

COAL STRIKE

EXTRA EDITION.

MR BALDWIN’S STATEMENT.

MINERS NOT STARVING GO YEiRINMFNT MEDIATIO'N,

BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT. Received 12.25 p.m. to-day. LONDON, Aug. 5. The Pit. Hen. 'Stanley Baldwin has issued, a signed statement to the united press, astociations of America, which reacts: “Replying to your enquiries on behalf of the American people regarding relief of distress among the miners, the following are the tacts: “There is no foundation for any statements regarding starvation among the joining population. More help is forthcoming during the present dispute than in any previously. There are boards of guardians in England and parish councils m Scotland whose expenditure on relief shows' that the lree.siti resort is being made to them during the present' emergency. Under a decision of the law courts,, miners taking part in a strike aj;e debarred from receiving relief from the guardians, hut. it is estimated that the guardians have paid away, through the wives, children and dependents of miners in England ancl Wales, no less than 42250,000 per week in June. As a result of these activities, there is little or no indication of severe distress. At -j the beginning of the strike, the Minister of Health ieqnested his .inspectors throughout the country to make special enquiries .into eases of malnutrition, especially of wives and children. The reports of the inspectors show that nowhere is there mal-nutri-tion, much less starvation. Indeed, there is good grounds for thinking that in -many areas the children arc actually better fed than before the strike. The education, authorities are ajsr> providing hundreds of thousands of meals for school children daily. Many soup kitchens have been opened. “There is no truth in the assertion frequently made, that the coal dispute is the first step in a general attack upon wages’and hours. In accordance with the report of the Royal Commission. some immediate readjustment- in costs of production by a concession on the part of the men is esential. '“Throughout the Government has done all in its power to bring the parties together, and is preapred to mediate again, if there is any indication that its efforts will be fruitful, hut the Government, cannot assent to a- further .subsidy possibly extending another four months. The earlier subsidy, exceeding twenty millions, to a large extent was borne by other industries, in which some workers are- less well! paid than the miners. AM relevant facts a);& now available for the purpose of negotiation and arbitration and there is no justification to impose further burdens, on the community at- large.”— Aus.-N.Z. Gable- Assn..