THE COAL STRIKE.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLII, Issue 1808, 5 May 1921, Page 5

THE COAL STRIKE.

UNEMPLOYMENT INCREASING.

[Bv Electric Ca.ole—Copyright.] [Aust. and N.Z. Cable Association.] LONDON, May 4.

Unempolymenf. due to the coal stoppage is increasing by leaps and bounds'. Four hundred thousand were idle last month owing to the coal trouble and a quarter of a million were put on short time. The sum of fl,5(10,000 is being paid in unemployment benefits weekly. Allowing for the contributions, the unemployment funds are being depleted at the rate of £1,250,0*00 -weekly.

NOTES OF DEFIANCE

Officials of Hie French mines have arrived in London to negotiate for ex. ports to England. It is announced that complete arrangements have been made by the Government to deal with the situation, which is due to the refusal of the transporters to halndle foreign coal. An unofficial message, states that the strike, of the British dockers has ended. Messrs Gosling and Williams have telegraphed the dockers saying: "Instructions have been exceeded. Confine yourselves to a blockade of coal and a refusal to unload foreign coal. Do not interfere with shipping." A joint labour manifesto says: "The mine owners and the Government have declared war upon the miners, and count upon hunger forcing the miners back to work within a fortnight. Labour must defeat this strategy. The miners are fighting for a living wage. If they agreed to the Government's proposals the miners would be committed to accepting unlimited reductions in wages." The manifesto urges Labour to subscribe to a fund for the support of the miners' families, and the Miners' Federation Fund.

SINN FEIN TACTICS

Miners in Cydach, Wales, adopted Sinn Fein tactics against the Monmouthshire miners who were digging coal outcrops and sending them away in motor lorry loads and securing high prices. Hundreds of miners assisted by women and children barricaded a road, stopped the lorries and commandeered the coal for local consumption.