MINING INDUSTRY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 17 November 1927, Page 9

MINING INDUSTRY

DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS,

UNEMPLOYMENT GROWING

MR. MACDONALD’S INDICTMENT,

BY CABLE —PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT,

Received 1.30 p. hi. to-day. LONDON, Nov. 16. In the House of Commons, Mr Ramsay MacDonald’s motion complained of the Government's neglect of .increasing unemployment and distress in the coalmining industry and its failure to enforce efficient organisation. He contended that the situation was not due to the stoppages in 1925 and 1926; it had been heralded bv thp warning events of many years. last year’s settlement production bad increased, costs had been, reduced, with the result that British coal at present was selling in German# at 4s per ton below the next competitor. The Government’s view last year was that reduced wages and increased hours would save the industry, but this had been absoluta'y falsified. The real problem was the'transference of' coal into oil power- In experiments for this purpose Britain was far behind the Conti-. The next problem was the disposal of the coal industry. At present it was not suffering from Continental competition, but from the competition of British collieries and exporters among themseves. The subsidy .had been squandered on internal competition, not a, penny going to strengthen the industry. If industrial efficiency meant allowing the owners to market the coal here and abroad at any price. Labour and the Government were m the owners’ pockets. As far as thp hours and wages were concerned, it meant nothing less than industrial slavery. Thousands of miners were unemployed and more pits were closing down weekly. Short-time miners were not earning £1 pfr week. Conditions in the mining districts were most appalling, families having to sell up their homes and public utility societies were going bankrupt. . Owners were openly" refusing available employment to men belonging to the Labour Party and the Miners Federation. No wonder the miners were beginning to hanker after swifter methods than political action.

AN UNUSUAL SCENE

UPROAR IN THE COMMONS,

Received 1.45 p.m. to-day. LONDON, Nov. 10.

The Labour censure motion drawing attention to the coal industry led to an unusual scene. Mr Ramsay MacDonald submitted the motion, his speech concluding: "We want to know what tne Government is doing in the matter ana the President of the Board of Trade is not the Minister to answer." Sir Cunliffe Lister rose to reply and was greeted with insistent cries for Mr Baldwin. Sir P. Cunliffe Lister was unable to make himself heard. Mr Kirkwood shouted to the Speaker. "Cannot you move that Sir P. Cunliffe Lister be no longer heard. This is a maids job, not a boy’s." The Speaker .again called upon Sir I. Cunliffe Lister and tried to restore order, but, owing to the continued uproar, suspended the sitting for an hour.