BRITISH MINERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18612, 21 July 1922, Page 5

BRITISH MINERS

CONFERENCE AT BLACKPOOL, PLANS FOR THE FUTURE. GANDTPATOR FOR PARLIAMENT. Pzcm Association—JSy Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, July 18. Mr Herbert Smith, ; n presiding at the Miners’ Federation Conference at Blackpool, expressed the opinion that they would pull through the present depression in 1923. If the owners conducted the industry better and more unitedly the period of difficulty would be reduced. The federation intended to take a most active part in politics, and to run at least 20 candidates at the next election. Mr Potts (a delegate) narrated a conversation that he had had with the King on the subject of miners’ dwellings, nis Majesty said that his heart bled when he heard the conditions under which some of the miners lived. Mr Potts suggested that the King might advise the Government to take action, but the King replied that he never interfered w'th the work of Cabinet. —A, and N.Z. Cable. COMMUNISM REJECTED. VIGOROUS CONDEMNATION. LONDON, July 19. At the miners’ conference in South Wales a resolution favouring the Third Red International was rejected by 883 votes to 118. Mr Frank Hodges (the federation’s secretary) vigorously condemned the proposal, saying: “If wo want to save British trade unionism we must wash our hands of anything like the Red International. If we do not a blight will come upon us as it did in France, where trade unionism has been destroyed for a ’generation.”—A, and N.Z. Cable. (Received July 20, at 7.55 p.m.) During the debate at the . Miners’ Conference advocates of affiliation with the Red International asserted that the miners received £40,000 from Russia during the recent strike. Mr Hodges replied that the federation received 2,500,000 roubles, which only produced £6O.—A. and N.Z. Cable. HOUSES FOR MINERS. COLLIERY COMPANIES’ SCHEME. LONDON, July 19. (Received July 20, at 7.55 p.m.) Thirty colliery companies have formed an industrial housing association, and have subscribed £1,000,000 capital with the object of providing 10,000 cheap houses for the miners in Berkshire, Derbyshire, and Wales at the rate of 1000 yearly. The association will not seek a profit and the directors will draw no fees. —A. and N.Z. Cable.