BRITISH COAL DISPUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14926, 26 February 1912, Page 7

BRITISH COAL DISPUTE.

WHAT A STRIKE WILL MEAN. ! SYMPATHY WITH COLLIERS. | TRANSPORTERS OFFER HELP. FACTORIES LIKELY TO STOP. By TclPgrapb.—rrcss Association. -Copyright London, February 24. The National Federation of Colliery Enginemen have decided to cease work in the event of a strike, Except for keeping the water out of the collieries. The Premier conferred with leading coal owners and afterwards saw the King, who was desirous of being informed regarding the in connection with the dispute. The Transport Workers' Federation conference at Manchester has resolved to give any assistance the miners require, including refusal to handle home or foreign coal. The Chamber of Shipping of the United Kingdom, after a vigorous discussion on the abuses of peaceful picketing, resolved that the Government must deprive the trade unions of the right conferred by the Trades Disputes Act of inflicting damage to property with impunity. Sir Walter Runciman said that although a Radical, he strongly supported the repeal of the Act. The agent of Earl Dudley has advised him to permanently close the. Saltwclls Colliery in the event of a strike. Most of the manufacturers in the potteries district, employing 50,000 hands, the leading ironmasters in South Staffordshire and Coats, and the cotton-spinners, employing 10,000 hands, have notified a stoppage in the event of a strike. IRONWORKERS OUT OF WORK. SHORTAGE OF COAL. (Received February 25. 5.5 p.m.) London, February 21. Eight thousand ironworkers have been rendered idle in Cheshire and Flintshire owing to the inability of the collieries to renew contracts for the supply of coal. AN OWNER'S CYNICAL STATEMENT. A well-known Midland coal-owner (says our London correspondent) is reported to have made the following extraordinary statement on hearing the official figures of tho recent ballot: "It will be a Godsend for the collieries if the men will strike. There were many thousands of tons of coal in stock before the minimum wage was discussed. Now there are none at the collieries. They are cleared, and stocks are on the railways, in works, and factories. Seven or eight weeks' stoppage- will wipe these out, and we should have a glorious summer with good prices. If the miners stop they could not have arranged it better for coal owners than they have done. It will be a fine holiday for the men, the distribution of union funds and the much-required rest in the colliery world, considering the present output."