THE COAL STRIKE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 15901, 12 April 1912, Page 7

THE COAL STRIKE.

MR HARTSHORN’S PREDICTION. United Press Association— By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, April 10. A mass meeting of miners passed a resolution expressing grave concern at Mr Hartshorn’s prediction of a renewed struggle in May or June. Tlioy appea - cd to Mr Hartshorn to extricate thorn from tho present chaos before indulging in prophecies. ASKED TO RESIGN. A meeting of miners at Barnsley demanded that Mr F. Hall and Mr J. Wadsworth, Labour members of ment, should resign the leadership. REFUSE TO RESUME. About 5000 miners at Bolton, Wosthoughton, refuse to resume until tne minimum wage has been fixed. CONFLICT WITII THE POLICE. Strikers, armed, with pieces of timber, attempted to prevent the miners working at Golborne. Tlie police dispersed them after some sharp baton charges. SHIPPING RESUMING. Thero have been animated scenes at Shields, where 3000 seamen are joining 200 steamers which were rendered idle

by the coal strike. TROOPS FOR WIGAN. Three hundred Lancers at Lincoln have been ordered to Wigan.

STRIKE MATTERS IN THE HOUSE.

SOLDIERS AND STRIKERS.

PUBLIC CONTROL OF COAL MINES. (Received Aoril 11, 10.15 p.m.) ' LONDON, April 11

In the House of Commons, in the debate on the Army Annual Bill, Mr Keir Hardie moved an amendment that a recruit should have the right under contract to refuso to assist the civil power during a trade dispute. He stated that many youths wore not enlisting because they might have to fire on their .relatives and comrades.

Colonel Seely Said that it was cruel to lead soldiers to believe, that they were engaged to shoot strikers. The amendment was rejected by 168 to 23.

Mr Chiozza Money brought forward a motion demanding public control of coal mines and the establishment of a Power Commission. The House was counted out.

TROUBLE WITH ENGINEMEN.

REVOLT AGAINST-THE FEDERATION.

WORKERS COMPELLED TO CEASE.

PITS AGAIN CLOSED. (Received April 11, 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, April 11

Half a million miners are working. The chief hitch is in South Wales, where tho Miners’ Federation conferred with the enginemen and urged them to resume. The v engmemen refused. The Federation then issued a manifesto to its mombers that, wbilo not directing colliers to fill enginemen’s places, it would not place difficulties in the way of colliery managers securing efficient men from tho miners’ ranks. The revolt against the Federation is spreading in South Lancashire. Crowds, chiefly youths and unmarried men, are visiting the pits and compelling the workers to cease. There have been several serious Collisions with the police, who made baton charges.

Twenty thousand men at Wigan, anxious to work, were forced to* stop, fearing the hooligans would box the miners within the pits. The owners at Reigliton and Tyldesly have reclosed tlie pits, believing that it is unsafe to work them with the miners in their present destructive mood.