MINERS ADHERE TO MINIMUM RATE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue XLVII, 5 March 1912, Page 5

MINERS ADHERE TO MINIMUM RATE

TRADE DIVERTED TO GERMANY. (Press Association.—Coptright.) LONDON, Monday. The miners* leaders are making speeches in different parts of the country. They firmly adhere to the proposed schedule of minimum rates. The London trains are seriously reduced. A merchant trading with Australia has been compelled to place an order in Germany instead of Wolverhampton for baling hoops for wool. Other orders usually executed in Staffordshire have gone to Germany. Belgium, the United States, and Canada. Many manufacturers at Manchester are availing themselves of electricity instead of coal. The outward 'chartering of vessels is at a standstill at Liverpool, Cardiff, Glasgow, and Newcastle. Little credence is attached to the statement of Mr Davis, one of the miners' delegates to the London conference, in a speech at Ebbw Vale, that the Premier, in his speech to the miners on February 29th, declared that the day was not distant when the Government would make themselves responsible for a minimum wage for all the workers in the country. Sixty thousand steel and other workers are idle in the West of Scotland. EFFECTS IN AUSTRALIA. SYDNEY, Monday. The English strike is causing nervousness in commercial circles here, and values are extremely firm in anticipation df advances. EFFECT ON INDUSTRIES. THOUSANDS OF MEN THROWN OUT. /Received 8.25 a.m.) LONDON. Monday. Seven thousand engine uuildeTs and othters at .Swindon, 5000 founders at Leeds, 2000 shipyard hands at Jarrow, and thousands of potters in the Midlands have been rendered idle. The! Premier's statement to-day regarding tlie complete deadlock is awaited with; the keenest interest. Mr. G. Roberts, M.P., Labour Whip, declares that the miners are justified in demanding incorporation under the Minimum. Wage Bill at rates representing the basis of what they believe to be right. He appealed to workers to avoid violence, and denounced the suffragist demonstration in the West End as a combination of hysteria and hooliganism. IMPORTANT STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER. NO "SLY FLIRTATIONS WITH SOCIALISM." THE GOVERNMENT AND THE MINIMUM WAGE. (Received March 5. 11.25 a.m. ) LONDON, Monday. Replyine to Mr. Bonar Law, Leader ;of the Opposition, the Premier denied the statement by Sir. Davies, the strike delegate. ' that- thr. Government would soon make themselves responsible for the minimum wage for all industries. He said he was not in the habit of having sly flirtations with Socialism. The obstacle to a settlement was th e amount of the minimum, wage. The owners raised a number of formidable objections to the men's schedule and urged that many pits would have to be closed. It was impossible that .'he Government should ask Parliament to coerc e owners into accepting the verv figures of th e minimum. He warned miners of enormous responsibility of entering on the course they had determined on. Th e Government felt compelled to pursue a rigorous examination of the figures given by both parties. TROOP- TRAINS IN READINESS.

(Received March 5. 11.25 a.m.) LONDON, Monday. Trains sufficient to transport 20,000 troops are ready at Aldershot for an immediate start. MINERS AT PLAY. WITHDRAWAL OF TRAINS. (Received 9.55 a.m.) LONDON. Monday. The miners spent the week-end at football' matches, nicturo theatres, - music hails and coursing matches. Many Derbyshire miners are visiting the seaside. n cnn Daily trains, to the number of 2500, have been withdrawn. Ther" is a va- c t accumulation of provisions" in London warehouses, and people are ordering heavy supplies of tinned meats, fruit, and flour. Fifteen London stations on the boutnEastern line will close to-morrow. Six;hundred ponies in the Yorkshire and Derbyshire mines have been brought to the surface, some for the first time for 20 years.