COMING CRISIS IN COAL INDUSTRY

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3287, 5 March 1926, Page 10

COMING CRISIS IN COAL INDUSTRY

Personnel of the Commission SCOPE OF INQUIRY AND VITAL ISSUES The Coal .Commission, or Court of Inquiry, was appointed by th e British Government in July, 1925, to inquire into the position in the industry. The personnel was as follows: —Mr H. P. Macmillan, K.C. ichairman), Mr W. Sherwood and jSir Joshua Stamp. The secretaries to the Court were: Mr C. S. Hurst, Mines Department, and Mr G. H. Incc, Ministry of Labour. Who’s Who. Mr Macmillan is the ex-Lord Advocate who. at the personal request of Mr MacDonald, agreed to hold that office during the Labour Administration on the understanding that the position would be regarded as strictly non-political for the time being. He had been acting as leading counsel for the Glasgow Corporation before the House of Commons .Committee, which was considering the Glasgow Bill, and Fas also chairman of the Royal Commission on the Lunacy Laws. Sir Joshua Stamp is well-known as the British representative on the Reparation Commission’s Committee on German Currency and Finance, as a member of the Committee on Taxation and National Debt, and as the author of many publications dealing with economics and finance. Mr Will Sherwood has established a considerable reputation in the Labour world as the national organiser of the National Union of General and Municipal Workers, as a member of the joint committee of inquiry into the ship-building industry, and as a member of the Metalliferous Mines Advisory Committee of the Mines Department. No Administrative Power. The Court was given no administrative power, its purpose being to hear all th e evidence available on the subject and thus to help the nublic to form its own opinions as to the merits of the dispute between the owners and the miners. Scope of Commission. The subjects on which information was sought were:—General statistics: demand for British coal: utilisation of coal; obsolescence and replacement of mines; finance and ownership of mines; methods of working; marketing and distribution; wages, hours, accidents and diseases: housing, etc.; joint committees; costs other than wages; proceeds of the industry; research royalties; nationalisation of mines: and experience in other countries. I The Vital Question. In connection with the subsidy which the Government undertook to pay to the industry until April 30 next (by doing which the critical situation was eased in July), it is estimated that the total cost to the country will be between £21,000,000 and £22,000.000. It Is the approaching termination of the period fixed for the payment of this subsidy which is now loom-' Ing and taking the form of another serious crisis. The question exercising the minds of all concerned is whether the industry can meet the demands of the miners when the subsidy ceases or whether th e mlneowners will insist upon a reduction in wages and an increase in the working hours. These are the issues which the miners say they are determined to resist. A continuance of the subsidy in a I modified form has been suggested as the way out of the difficu’ty, but the report of the commission will, it is hoped, offer other suggestions for solving the problem. A London message of February

28th states that the momentous report.'of the Coal Commission is expected to be issued this week. Labour leaders devoted their usual Sunday speeches to a discussion of the possibilities of a conflict.