The Coal Crisis

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XV, Issue 193, 20 July 1925, Page 5

The Coal Crisis

i , Outlook Disheartening MINERS BOYCOTT INQUIRY. “THINGS NEVER LOOKED BLACKER.” (By Cabl*—Press Association—Copyright.) (Received 20, 10.15 a.m.) London, duly 19. The coal deadlock continues. The Government inquiry will be resumed on Monday, but the miners will nor. be represented. Their secretary, Mr Cookj is spending the week-end preparing the minors’ case for a special meeting or the Trade Union Congress at London on Friday. While it is agreed that an industrial alliance cannut be created in time to help the miners next month, plans are being prepared by which each union can take a ballot of members quickly on the question of supporting the miners by embargoes against handling coal, a fighting fund, etc. Mr J. H. Thomas, the Railway Union official, speaking at Bakewcll, Derbyshire, on Saturday, said:—♦ “Things never looked blacker. You cannot expect to find contentment when workmen arc denied a living wage.” Sir L. Worthington-Evans, speaking at Dunmow, said, “the difficulty of position is that both the men and the employers are in the right. What is wrong is the world price of coal.” ONE BIG UNION.

1) ELEG ATES DISA PPROVE CONSTITUTION. (Received 20, 9.35 a.m.) London, July 19. The momentus union conference to consider the proposed industrial alliance was by no means unanimous. It did not approve of the constitution, but, according to the “Daily Herald,” resolved to recommend the individual executives to consider it and report at another conference in the near future. The “Daily Express” asserts that critics riddled the draft constitution, one clause of which provided that the directing committee should have power to call out all unions without reference to individual unions. This is regarded as an opening to dangerpus possibilities. Furthermore, the constitution trenched on the functions vested in the Trades Union Congress. The decision means that the project will be seriously delayed. Mr. J. R. Clynes remarked that it could not be ready in time for the miners’ dispute.—(A. and N.Z.)