MORE HOPEFUL THIS TIME

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12559, 23 September 1926, Page 7

MORE HOPEFUL THIS TIME

ONCE AGAIN MR BALDWIN TRIES TO END COAL DISPUTE MINERS “IN BETTER TEMPER” GOVERNMENT’S EARLIER PROPOSALS REJECTED AS “UNJUST” After rejecting the proposals made by the Government, the miners’ executive re-entered negotiations at Downing street. The prospects of an agreement appear good, but any agreement must be accepted by the coal owners.

By' Telegraph.—PrasJ Assn.—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cabl< Association. (Received September 22, 8.15 p.m.) LONDON, September 22. , Apparently the Government and the miners are at last determinedly seeking a way out of the coal deadlock. The miners’ letter to Mr Baldwin (published below) was accompanied by a message indicating' the executive’s readiness to meet the Government. The letter, it is admitted, is a closely reasoned document, in striking contrast to the usual communications emanating from the same source. It was, says the “Daily Express,” drafted by the Oxford economist, R. H. Tqwney, who presented the miners’ case before the Coal Commission. The letter received prompt attention. The. whole executive went to Downing street at nine o’clock at night, but Mr Baldwin who was accompanied by Mr Winston Churchill, Sir Arthur Steel-Maitland, and Mr G. R. Lane-Fox, preferred to see only the four officials, Messrs Smith, Cook, Richards, and Richardson, with whom they conferred until one o’clock in the morning. CONFERENCE UNFINISHED The official communique says the discussions between the Government and the miners will be resumed today. Owing to the late hour of the breakup of last night’s meeting little information is available about what happened, but the “Daily Express” says ths conversations brought the miners to a better temper for settlement than at any other time since the stoppage. - . On the other hand, the “Daily Herald” says the Government showed more signs than previously of being disposed to a reasonable settlement. It understands that Mr Baldwin discussed

the resumption of work, on the basis of a 20 per cent, minimum percentage, against 33 1-3 per cent., coupled with a firm undertaking to carry out the Coal Commission’s recommendation, and a gnarantoe of arbitration on points of difference, the arbitrators to be commissioners. DISTRICT SETTLEMENTS ' REJECTEp LONDON, September 21. The miners’ executive considered the Government’s proposals, and replied to Mr Baldwin rejecting district settlement. The executive also issued a statement saying that the Government’s policy had created a grslve situation, likely to prolong the dispute. The acceptance of the Government’s proposals would involve the entire surrender of national agreements, which both the Royal Commission and Mr Winßton Churchill on August Bth accepted as essential. The suggestion that district negotiations would accelerate a settlement is without foundation. REFUSES TO BE COERCED The executive says it does not desire useless recriminations, but if the stoppage is prolonged by an attempt to enforce district agreements the responsibility will be the Government’s. The executive repeats that it is prepared to negotiate for a national agreement, aiming at the reduction of costs, but refuses to be coerced into the acceptance of the unjust terms dictated. Such a settlement would be insincere and short-lived. The miners are entitled to insist upon protection by means of a national organisation, which, experience has shown, is alone able to protect them.