COAL CRISIS IN BRITAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14929, 29 February 1912, Page 7

COAL CRISIS IN BRITAIN.

CABINET'S NOVEL SCHEME

PRIVATELY OFFERED TO MEN. * MINIMUM MUST BE LAID DOWN 1 BIG CONGRESS OF MINERS, b ii By Telegraph.—Press Ae»oci«tion.--Coi>yiieht. (Received February 28, 9.10 p.m.) London, February 23. A conference of the Miners' Federation, including every district in the United Kingdom, is sitting in consideration of the coalmining crisis. After the Prime Minister had ad- « dressed the conference, the Chan- ( cellor of tho Exchequer, Mr. Lloyd- i George, asked questions, one being ( as to who should guarantee payment of a minimum wage when a miner i takes a contract for labour. Mr. E. Edwards (Labour M.P. and secretary of the North Staffordshire Miners' Association) and Mr. Smellie (of the Miners' Federation) outlined the men's reasons for pressing for the concession of an individual minimum wage in each district. They stated that they would . be ready to consider details afterwards. The Prime Minister then intimated that the Government had devised a scheme of dealing with the application of the principle of a minimum . wage. He asked the miners to appoint a committee to consider it. The meeting of Cabinet Ministers and the Miners' Committee lasted three hours. It is understood that the Government had difficulty in inducing the men's representatives to consider the scheme, which is reported to be of a very novel character. There is a consensus of opinion that the Government has definitely decided that a minimum wage must be granted in order to prevent some miners being victimised by being allotted abnormal places to work in. The Government also desire both sides to undertake to allow the Government to act as umpire in the event of their failing to agree. When the Prime Minister met the coalmine owners on Thursday he suggested that the adoption of a minimum wage would affect 25 per cent, of the men,, and would not involve, much increase of expenditure. Many owners denied thiji. The Evening News states that Mr. W. H. Mainwaring, who is prominent in the South Wales dispute, is an advocate of syndicalism. MINERS NOW ON STRIKE, 38,000. STONE-THROWING BY MOB. PLAYING ON STRIKE PAY. (Rewired February 28. 9.10 p.m.) London, February 28. Thirty-eight thousand miners are already on strike, including 17,000 in Yorkshire. Strikers threw stones and bottles at a train that was taking miners to Chesterfield. The police dis- ■ persed the rioters. London, February 27. The example of the 2000 miners in Derbyshire, who struck yesterday, was followed to-day by an additional 22,000 men, who came out in the same district. Several thousands also came out in South Yorkshire, and 8000 at Nottingham. They refused the request * of the Miners' Federation that they should not strike until Thursday. The men argue that such enormous stocks of coal have been accumulated that the mines will be sure to 3 work short time after the settlement, and they may as well play t for a time on strike pay. a Ten thousand miners in Warwick l shire, where a minimum wage prej vails, are balloting as to whether ~ they shall obey the order to strike. ii •f r TUESDAY'S PROCEEDINGS, i (j London, February 27. a Important conferences between the Prime Minister (Mr. Asquith), the colliery owners, and the miners' representatives were held to-day. At noon it was officially stated that an agreement was expected during the afternoon, and strong hopes of j settlement then prevailed among the s delegates. g The Prime Minister had many cony ferences, first with one side and i- then with the other, and on reachie ing the House of Commons at four i- o'clock disappointed the House by remarking that he was unable to make a statement. The conferences continued, but no i definite result was achieved, and eventually an adjournment was made until to-morrow morning, when it is hoped that, several points having been cleared up, the remainder will be satisfactorily settled.