THE COAL STRIKE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19904, 25 September 1926, Page 13

THE COAL STRIKE

LATEST HOPES SHATTERED. WRECKED ON HOURS PROBLEM. (Pres# Association- BJ Palegrapfc—Cop/iight.) LONDON, September 23. The hopes of the coal settlement which were raised last night have been shattered. The miners’ leaders to-night are pessimistic, and left London to the districts until Monday. The latest difficulties are due to the question of hours, as the Miners Lxecutive is still unwilling to make a definite concession on the point, and the owners are only prepared to partake in negotiations if the hours are loft to be adjusted in the various districts with the wages. It is estimated now that 100,000 miners are working in the various districts. After the Miners’ Executive left Downing street the Government got in close touch with the representatives of the Mining Association, who turned down the miners’ proposals, which Mr Cook thus summed up:—“The Miners’ Executive is prepared to recommend, first, that the wages be not , less than those payable in the 1921 agreement as a temporary arrangement for an immediate resumption; secondly, that the terms of a national wages agreement shall be referred to an independent tribunal to be agreed oil by the parties : thirdly, that the terms of reference to the tribunal shall bo the consideration of the application to the industry of the recommendations of the Royal Commission.” Mr Baldwin, learning the seriousness of the position, decided that it was useless to recall the Miners’ Executive to Downing Street, and decided that the whole Cabinet must be consulted on Friday.—A. and N.Z. Cable. A SCATHING INDICTMENT. MINERS’ LEADERS DENOUNCED. “LOST OPPORTUNITIES.” LONDON, September 24. (Received Sept. 24, at 10 jam.) A scathing letter has been written by Mr Frank Hodges to Mr Thomas Spencer, who was recently dismissed from the trusteeship of the Derbyshire Miners’ Association. He says: What is your crime? 1 i dared to criticise the policy of Mr Smith and Mr Cook. O, democracy! What baseness is committed in thy name! You criticised the slogan and condemned it You were right. You have seen golden opportunities come and go, which, if seized by competent leadership, would have led to an honourable peace. You realised, as I have, that our miners have been but a background or stage to provide a place for the capers? antics, und popular declamations of Mr Cook. Decency demands that those whom you attacked should resign before the revolt.”—A. and N.Z. Cable. NO EXTENSION OF SUMMER TIME. LONDON, September 23. (Received Sept. 24, at 9 p.m.) The Home Secretary states that_ there is no earthly chance of an extension of Summer Time in order to meet the coal emergency.—Sydney Sun Cable.