COAL CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17754, 13 April 1921, Page 7

COAL CONFERENCE.

ISSUE NARROWED;

PREISER'S STIPULATIONS.

NO SUBSIDY: NO CONTROL. FACTS TO BE FACED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. iR-CM-eivod 2.5 a.m.) A. and N Z. LONDON. April 11. The conference of miners and owners •v?:'.h Government representatives as intermcd:.iu?s began this morjiing. I',.Homing on statements by Mr. Evan W.Mkuu.--, of the Goal Association, and Mr. V Itodges, secretary of the Miners' FcdeuiUon, the Prime Minister asked to ba\< v <iii opportunity of perusing the two 6 tatt meiits when a transcript of the notes n.Ls riMiiv. The conference agreed that a report, of the meeting should not be pubi'.shed until the parties had been able to read the transvn.pt. Mr. I.lovd George added that he wished ;,, hive an opportunity of meeting the <wiiers <ind miners separately as a preliminary t>> a further joint meeting. This whs :i.:t'-i s 'l to. The owners will meet Mr l.h'yd George at 11 o'clock to-morrow a;>d the miners at 12.30 p.m. Mr I.l' 'il George, in opening the con-fereni-o, slated that the Government had to the interests of the comrr.unitv by securing industrial peace. If the same eagerness were shown to share |, sses as profits the conference would certainly roach an early and satisfactory ,-, ndu-Mon Tho profits of the coalmining industry were practically made out of the export trade, from which the Government guaranteed profits to owners and wages to rumors. Since the arrangement was ma e there had been a slump, and the price of t\ a] had dropped from 79s 8d to 36s 6d a ion at the pithead, and the markets •■; Europe -i-nd South America were practically closed to business. The Government nad definitely decided rot to continue to subsidise the owneis and miners out of taxes, or to abrogate ti-.e decontrol order. Within those limits the (,k>vernment was prepared to listen U. any echeme submitted for adjusting and profits. The owners claimed that, without a subsidy there was not enough in the business to pay wages on the present scale. It was for them to fhow the pounds for arriving at a conc\usion to justify a reduction of wagesIt would then be for the miners to state their case; not merely to oppose the owners' figures, but to provide plans for adjusting the whole position. Continuing, Mr. Lloyd George sug rested that 3. committee of six miners and six owners examine the situation. Both would have to face the facts. Whether profits or wages were affected, the facts were there and would remain until the world adjusted itself to the present conditions.