BRITISH GOAL CRISIS.
A MOMENTOUS WEEK. MINERS RESIST WAGES CUT. INDICATIONS OF SUPPORT. LABOUR'S ELECTION WIN. LEADERS' INTERPRETATION. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received 7.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON, March 29. A momentous week in tho history of (he coal crisis in Britain was ushered in by a series of speeches delivered by Labour leaders. These indicated that the trend of opinion among tho trades unions, regarding the Labour victory in tho byelection for the Bothwcll division of Lanarkshire, is that the result is an evidence that tho workers are determined to resist a cut in wages. The successful candidate, Mr. I. Sullivan, said that other workers had rallied to Labour. They realised that a reduction in the wages of tho miners would be the signal for employers in other trades also to reduce wages. Tho general secretary of the Miners' Federation, Mr. A. J. Cook, speaking at Abertridwr, said means must be found to assist the mining industry other than a reduction in wages, an increase in working hours and district agreements. " We cannot pay the price nor make any sacrifices any longer," said Mr. Cook. "We are going to clear out the royalty owners, without compensating them I hope."
itr. J. H. Thomas, M.P., executive head of the National Union of Railwaymen, speaking at Dunfermline, said the test of success in trades union leadership was not to bring peopla out on strike, nor to promise them the moon when they could not even givo them bread and cheese.
When there were signs of an improvement in trade the coal crisis had arisen. Low and scandalous as were the wages of the miners the fact stood out that a great number of the pits were producing coal »t an uneconomic price. It was a good sign that both sides were desirous of finding a basis for a settlement of the mining dispute. The Home Secretary, Sir W. Joynson Hicks, in a speech at. Lydne.y, Gloucestershire, said: "We stand on the edge of a precipice. It depends on the employers and the employed whether there will be a trade revival or whether a strike or lockout shall destroy the hope of that revival, possibly for years." THE BOTHWELL SEAT. WHY LABOUR MAN WON. __ v A MINING CONSTITUENCY. Boater. LONDON. March, 28. The Labour victory in the by-election for the BothweD division of Lanarkshire (a mining constituency) is ascribed to the strong feeling aroused against the reduction in miners' wages suggested by the Coal Commission- The Liberal candidate forfeited his deposit. The large drop in the Conservative poll is attributed to many Conservatives abstaining from voting owing to Labour's strength. The new member, Mr. L Sullivan, once represented North Lanark.
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New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19289, 30 March 1926, Page 11
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448BRITISH GOAL CRISIS. New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19289, 30 March 1926, Page 11
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