CARRYING ON EASILY

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12538, 30 August 1926, Page 7

CARRYING ON EASILY

BRITAIN IS NOT CRIPPLED STRIKING MINERS TOLD PLAINLY GOVERNMENT WILL NOT HELP By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. Reuter's Telegram. LONDON, August 27. A verbatim report of tho conversations at Downing Street yesterday shows that Mr Herbert Smith, president of the Miners’ Federation, said that the miners were anxious to see what good offices the Government could render towards a solution, also what temporary financial help the Government could give. Mr Winston Churchill replied that he estimated at the beginning of the coal stoppage that the country would lose ten times as much as it actually had done. The country had shown a most extraordinary power for carrying on. Coal was coming in freely, nearly a million tons a week. Furthermore, there was a certain domestic output. “We are undoubtedly in the position,” he said, “of carrying on the life of the country without difficulty.” That was, he added, a most remarkable new fact. Mr Smith : We are not liere to make a petition, hut to get an honourable settlement. We can carry on the fight a hit further. We have been doing our utmost to avoid pit-flooding, hut after Mr Churchill’s speech we must fight up. Mr Churchill replied that the Government was prepared to help towards a settlement, but it had only been asked for a renewal of financial assistance, which was impossible.