THE COAL TAX.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11644, 4 May 1901, Page 5

THE COAL TAX.

THREATENED- STRIKE OF MINERS. Ey Telegraph.—Press Association.— London, May 2. The threat of the Miners' Federation to cause a general strike as a protest against the coal tax is strongly resented by the House of Commons. In the course of a speech at Guildford, Mr. Brodriek,- Secretary for War. said the Government would be unfit to govern if they yielded to the agitation against flic coal tax, which was engineered by those interested, and who had realised the largest fortunes of recent times. (Received May 3, 11.15 p.m.) London, May 3. In the House of Commons. Sir W. Vernon Harcourt combated the coal tax. He said the system was absolute, and the burden of the tax would fall on the coal-winner. If the foreign purchaser had been able to bear the tax exporters would long since have raised the price.

Sir M. Hicks-Beach, in the course of a vigorous reply, said the British price would fall on foreign rivals even less able to compete than heretofore. The coalowners, on £110,000,000 capital invested in 1000, had made £29.000,000 profits over and above 1897. it was unnecessary to penalise coal-winners by this demand to tax British coal exported abroad. If slightly checked the country would reap an advantage. He was dealing liberally with regard to existing contracts, inasmuch as the tax was not temporary. The speech was received with cheers, mingled with dissent. The debate was adjourned. London, May 3. Owing to the proposed imposition of the coal tax, Mr. J. Wilson, the Unionist member for Falkirk burghs and a large coalowner, has severed his connection with his party. The Northumberland miners threaten a 14-week strike. The Midland min?i have approved of the Miners' Federation recommendation for a genera] stoppage of mines in th.3 event of the tax being adopted. Parliamentary lawyers declare that the federation's recommendations to strike against the tax amounts to a state of conspiracy, involving legal responsibility.