STRIKE COLLAPSING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19413, 23 August 1926, Page 9

STRIKE COLLAPSING.

.. . .. BEITISH miners tiring

WORK ON ANY CONDITIONS. £ONG QUEUES AT THE PITS. MB. COOK PEKTHRBED. EFFORT TO CHECK MOVE. JJyXelegraph—Press Association—Copyright. * (Received 7.5 p.m.) and N.Z.-Reuter. LONDON. Aug. 21« . The breakaway of and Debryshiro coal-miners from the strike continues. By noon to-day a further 10,000 men had signod on to start work on Monday. ..'An eleventh-hour change was made by the general secretary of the Miners' Federation, Mr. A. J. Cook, in his plans for the week-end. He rushed to the Midlands to attempt to check the breakaway.

Thero were scenes of great enthusiasm in many of the villages because of the prospect of the men resuming work. Continuous streams of men are signing on in the Mansfield area. At' one pit. there was a queue 100 yds. Jong: ,at 9 a.m.. The men did not ask to' see the terms of employment in black and white. They were anxious to sign on as quickly as possible. " Significance is attached to the fact that the Safety Men's Union, which so far has refused to join in the strike, has been summoned to attend a meeting in London next week. Its membership is the strongest in South Wales, which district has been most stubborn on the subject of £ national agreement. ; A campaign, is being initiated by Mr. Cf>ok and his coHeaguos, which aims at presenting the conclusion of local agreements.

The executive of the Miners' Federation sat in private for three hours on Friday. It was agreed to send the Government a verbatim report of the proceedings at the previous day's meeting between the executive and the mineowners, afief which the members returned to their districts,

The report published in the Daily BTerald to the effect that the president of the Mining Association,: Mr. Evan - .Williams, said to the miners on Thursday: "I suppose you have come to surrender in. order..to save your faces," is officially denied. -

It is stated that the only reference of the kind was that of the president of the Miners' Federation, Mr. Herbert Smith, who said the miners had not come to beg to get back to work. GLOOMY VIEWS HELD. PROSPECTS OF SETTLEMENT. "WHOLE POSITION UNCERTAIN. (Received 12.30 a.m.) B«uter. LONDON. Aug. 22. "Gloomy views are hfild *• in -Labour and' political'*circles regarding A settlement of- the coalmining dispute: - It is uncertain' whetlftr there will' be.' a general drift back to work. Even" if the miners in many districts conclude local agreements in response to the fairly generous terms which have been offered to them the ' process ' must occupy ; soma weeks. ' : "' ,

; It is considered that the sole hops of an early general termination of the stoppage lies in the reassembling of Parliament on Auguist 30. Its business then will be to confirm the emergency regulations,. but no doubt time will be given for a general discussion'of ; the situation. ' THE USE OF FUEL. METHODS OF ECONOMY. ' COMMITTEE TO REPORT. A., and N.Z.' ' LONDON. Aug. 21. In fulfilment of the report of the Coal feommission a committee has been set up, with Sir Alfred Morid as chairman, to advise upon the economic use of fuel and its,'conversion into energy. The members include Mr. C. H. Merz, a consulting engineer, who was a member of the Coal Conservation Committee in 1917, arid two labour representatives,