GOAL CRISIS IN BRITAIN,

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14933, 5 March 1912, Page 7

GOAL CRISIS IN BRITAIN,

MEN WANT FULL DEMANDS

BUSINESS GOING ABROAD. ASQUITH ON THE MINIMUM. STATEMENT DISBELIEVED. By Telegraph.— A«»ociation.—Copyright, (Received March 5. 12.50 a.m.) London, March 4. The miners' leaders, who are making speeches in different parts of the country, firmly adhere to the proposed schedule of minimum rates. The London train services have been seriously reduced. Merchants trading with Australia are compelled to place orders in Germany instead of in Wolverhampton for baling hoops for wool. Other orders usually executed in Staffordshire have gone to Germany, Belgium, the United States, or Canada. Many manufacturers at Manchester are availing themselves of electricity instead of coal. The outward chartering of vessels is at a standstill in Liverpool, Cardiff, Glasgow, and Newcastle. Little credence is attached to a statement by Mr. Davis, one of the miners' delegates to the London conference, in a speech at Ebbwvale, that the Prime Minister, in his speech to the miners on February 29, declared that the day was not distant when the Government would make itself responsible ; for paymert of a minimum wage to all the workers in the country. Sixty thousand steel and other workers in the west of Scotland" are idle. MINISTER ADVISES THE MEN.

A DANGEROUS OBSTINACY. London, March 3. The duration of the coal strike is variously estimated at a week to a fortnight. Mr. J. Williams, Labour member for Gower (Glamorgan), speaking at Swansea, said that he expected the trouble would bo mutually settled by Thursday. Speaking at Cowne, Mr. W. E. Harvey, Labour member for the north-east division of Derbyshire, said he would always fight against compulsory arbitration, which has absolutely failed in Australia.

Mr. Alexander Uro, Lord Advocate for Scotland, speaking at Exeter, said the trouble must be mutually settled; otherwise the Government would not shirk its responsibilities, but would give legislative effect to a minimum. The real difficulty was that the men had fixed a certain amount, and refused to discuss the situation. He thought on reflection they would not adhere to that position, lest they lose the country's support.

A feature of the strike in South Wales and elsewhere is that the miners are determined to maintain order. A holiday spirit prevails. Twenty-three thousand men were idle at Swansea yesterday.

The Newcastle branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants asked the society to decline to handle trains conveying troops during the strike.

Owing to the strike the Orient liner Orontes arranged to ship 1000 tons of coal at Plymouth. The coal porters demanded double pay, and the concession was granted. '

Reports from Berlin state that 6000 ' shipbuilders in the Schichau yards at Danzig and Elbing struck. Two thousand men have been thrown idle at Sarpsborg, Norway, through the British strike. RAILWAY DELIVERS COAL. {Received March 4, 9.10 p.m.) London, March 4. As a result of the refusal of the Great Central Railway Company to deliver coal in transit to Sheffield (the company asserting that it has the same statutory powers to seize coal for its own purposes as was exercised during the strike of 1893, the market price being subsequently paid) the manufacturers there made urgent appeals to the company. To these the company yielded, and delivered the coal. SYDNEY MARKETS AFFECTED. (Received March 5. 12.50 a.m.) Sydney, March 4. The English strike is causing nervousness in commercial circles. Values are extremely firm in anticipation of advances.