MILLION AND A HALF UNEMPLOYED.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue XLVII, 13 March 1912, Page 5

MILLION AND A HALF UNEMPLOYED.

OWNERS AND MEN TO CONFER. ROYAL COMMISSION ON CO-PART-NERSHIP ASKED, (Press Association.—Copyright.) LONDON, March 12. The estimate of the unemployme.it should include 203,700 surtace men. Hie total is now 1,499,860, The South Wales owners, while not abating their opposition to the minimum wage, have agreed to be represented at the conference. It is expected that the executive of the Miners' Federation will meet the coal owners to-day. Mr Stephen Walsh, M.P., Speaking at Wigaii, condemned a pamphlet advocating irritation strikes, and by shortening working hours reducing profits until the owners were forced to abandon control of the. mines. He said every genuine trades unionist was willing to do a fair day's work for a fair day's pay. The men were now being advised to shirk and make the working of the mines unprofitable. That would be a foul and dishonourable policy. The Lancashire and Cheshire Miners' Federation paid £30,000 as the first week's strike benefits. Many firms, particularly in the engineering trades in Lancashire, are using municipal electricity ill order to keep their machinery going. Sir Arthur Markham, M.P., speaking at Mansfield, advised the men to stand firm for the minimum wage, which would only cost 4d to 4id a ton. The Welsh and" Scotch owners must be forced to give the minimum by Act of Parliament. A memorial signed by 157 Unionists, 72 Liberals, and 10 Nationalists, has been sent to the Premier, asking for the appointment of a Royal Commission to inquire , into the possibilities of co-part-nership. The Labour Party refused to sign it, fearing that üb-partmership would undermine trades unionism. UNION FINANCES. BANKERS CAUTIOUS OF ADVANCES. LONDON, March 12. Bankers are cautious .in 'advancing money to miners' unions, e\ r en on approved security and an ample margin. One institution refused to' advance £150,000 against Exchequer bonds, but the money was obtained elsewhere. DEFENCE OF MR ASQUITH. LONDON, March 12. Mr Albert Stanley, M.P. (Labour), speaking at Cannock, disputed Mr Ramsay Mac Donald's references to the Premier, and said everything that'had been done redounded to the Premier's credit. EXCLUSION OF THE MINIMUM. (Received Mar. 13, 9.20 a.m.) LONDON, March 12. Several newspapers, commenting in the miners' exclusion of the principle of the minimum wage from the discussion at the conference, point out that the Pre mier and 65 per cent, of the owners have already accepted it. PARTIES IN CONFERENCE. THE 1900 AGREEMENT. (Received March 13, 10.30 a.m.) LO.NDON, .March 12. The coal-owners and the (Miners' Executive conferred with the Premier and •Messrs Buxton and Askwith (of the ■Board of Trade). "The Welsh owners decline to cancel the 1900 agreement unless the Government guairantee that the next ere will ,be strictly observed.