PARALYSIS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue XLVII, 12 March 1912, Page 5

PARALYSIS.

THE GREAT COAL STRIKE. APPALLING UNEMPLOYMENT. RUN ON UNION FUNDS. BREAD DEARER. (Press Association.—Copyright.) (Rec. March 12, 8-5 a.m.) LONDON, March 11. The "Morning Post" estimates that 1,033,000 miners are unemployed, and 661,480 others, including 228,800 steel, iron, and tin plate workers; 85,480 textile workers; 70,000 in the potteries ; | 55,000 dockers; and 29,200 sailors. ! There is a- strong -demand for vessel* to load coal at New South Wales, and North American ports, an 18s 6d freight being agreed to from New' Soutih 1 Wales to Colombo. Many branch railways close to-day. Restaurant cars have been taken off bv the London County Council, reducing the tram service. x The quartern loaf is now c'osting sixpence in London. The mini ping engine at Stowheath, South Staffordshire, has been stopped, owing to- -an insufficiency of coal. ; It pumps 2,000.000 gallons daily. , The collieries of the district are threatened. Air Haslam. interviewed, said that'it was impossible to forget the general suffering. If we follow Wales it means adopting a kind of vendetta. Whatever is suggested, nothing suits the Welshmen. It was reasonable that the mini- • mum should b e that paid for abnormal places. This waa the Government's point, and the miners cannot afford to lose the Government's sympathy. Mr Apploton, Secretary to the Federation of the Trades Unions. intqYvujwed, Gaid that many unions were suffering very serious depletion of funds oWing' to unemplovment. If it continues long, many will b,-> on .tihe. verge of bankruptcy. , CRITICISM OF THE PREMIER. | LONDON, March 10. Air Ramsay Mac Donald, M.P., speaking at Red-cliffe, said the Premier ' had bungled the negotiations. But'for Ill's bungling the dispute .would ,have been lon a fair way to Settlement. The first foolish mistake was asking the m inert; jo' . accept compulsory arbitration. Mr Ae- , quith tihen said 'it was absurd to put I the miners' schedule into nia Bill, though ! nobody had asked him to do. any sucli 1 thing. Afterwards .he made a ; speech. ; on Thursday and published it on Friday. though tihe others wero pledged to secrecy. Instead of considering the ..miners', facts and moving their schedule s 1 to -be unreasonable, the -Premier again asked-- the miners to-' meet the owners and discuss reductions. The miners replied No; -Hence the deadlock. Mr. Mac Donald added that if they secured the minimum 'wage it would, be only the first step to an adequate minimum for every trade. If tho. Government introduced a Bill which .wotild' hamper trades unions and lead" a compulsory arbitration the Labour Party •would* oppose it. The strike would bo finished from sheer exhaustion .before the Bill was passed. . Mr. G. N. Barnes, M.P., interviewed-, said that if the coal strike lasted another month the engineers arid other trade unions \vou]d be in Queer Street. Mr Keir Hardie, speaking at Aberavon, declared Jtliat th-o House of Commons should pass a Bill repealing Wife .\Va,<res agreement cf the whole- of the coal fields. That would bring a settlement within measurable distance.-' LABOUR, MEMBER'S STRAIGHT'. TALK. i . (Received March 12, 10.10 a.m. l LONDON, March ,11.. Mr G. N. Barnes, at Croydon, said that he was not going to. dictate to th® miners, who knew the strength of/public opinion and the strength of their own purse, 'but no body of irifcTi should be a law unto:themselves. - MINERS PREPARED, FOR THREE MONTHS' STRIKE. (Received March 12,. 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, March 11. Mr Albert Stanley, Laibour member for Staffordshire, speaking at Ca,cock, said that the owners had made enough during the past three months to-pay 12. months' minimum. -.- The miners were prepared lor a three months' strike. .

ANOTHER CONFERENCE ARRANGED. MINERS TO MEET OWNERS. MINIMUM WAGE "BARBED. v (Received March 12, 12.30 -p-m.) LONDON, March 11. 1 Careful investigation shows th&t 844,000 miners and 441,960 industrial workers have been rendered -idle by the strike; also many thousands indirectly. The Board of Trade has authorised fifteen persons excess in carriages, and five in omnibuses in London. . . Two hundred thousand tdns of shipping is rendered idle on the tyne. Advantage is being taken to get vessels into propter trim. A conference of miners agreed to meet the coal owners for a free discussion of v the whole situation without prejudice; but there must be an understanding that the principle of the minimum wage will be excluded from the discussion. (

Tho liberties taken by cattle at Ma- V •taura of late have tbeen somewhat extraordinary, and the "city fathers," when they are drafting the new by-laws far the borough, will, .perhaps, consider the advisablcness of inserting a clause prohibiting cows from entering business .places. A cow, which was ;being driven along th e imam street- tlie otheir night., embarked on a voyage of exploration, and established a. record that will be hard to beat. The animal entered the stain\ v ay of Messrs iMcC6nnell and Co.'s ..brick store, and proceeded upstairs: On reaching the top of the stairs it wontthrough aii open window on to a roof, at the rea.r of the 'building. Hero it lost, its ifooting, and slid down the roof,' lodging against a, chimney, which (prevented it going over the edge. Nothing daunted, .however, at scrambled back along tliei roof, and .re-entered the biiilding through the window. The "explorer's" next; move was along the ip as sage into Mr; Cameron's dental rooms, 'but it was eventually driven downstairs 'Without Any damage having been done. '

Italy has annexed Tripoli—at least h, Bill has been passed, by the Italian Parliament authorising the annexation; and there has been the usual national demonstration. It is quite one thing 'to authorise annexation, and quite another to give effect to it. Italy will have to pay a big price in blood and treasure before annexation is complete. When the matter is calmly considered, it is, marvellous how rapidly Crescent Blend Tea annexes new customers. They seem glad to be annexed, for the tea is captivating. It is good tea, and 'good 'all the time.*