MINING IN BRITAIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20899, 13 December 1929, Page 11

MINING IN BRITAIN

THE GOVERNMENT’S BILL. FORECAST OF PROVISIONS. (United, 1 Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) iLONDON, December 12. (Received: Dec, 12, ,at 11 p.m.) The Libemls will vote against the Government’s/Coal Bill, which has now been presented to Parliament after negotiations extending over four months. A forecast shows that it provides for comjirulsory marketing and a reduction of turners’ hours to seven and a-half. ' The Daily News says that only Conservative absentees can prevent the Government from defieat, but it is expected that the Tories wi.'p tacitly support the scheme owing to the (marketing clause, although they are opptfsed to a reduction of hours. The Liberals believe that the subsidising of coal (exports at the expense of small manufacturers will send up domestic coal) 4s per ton. . Even if the Conservatives approve of the Bill it hi likely to be hotly opposed in committee, and may he withdrawn. In preparation for the promised legislation “ dealing with hours of work and other factors in the coal industry ” members of the British Government have at intervals rmjt representatives of the colliery ownersi and of the Miners’ Federation. The Government’s Bill proposes to change tjie law as to hours of work by reducing the day’s shift to seven and a-half hours, and it will provide for the enforcement of marketing schemes —district rind national—such as those which the colliery owners are now adopting. Underlying the proposals the Government puit forward will be the conviction that better days are in store for the coal mining industry, and that, while some present improvement of working conditions may be made, a substantial betterment of jtbe miners’ economic position must depend upon an improvement of the industry’s economic position. Fresh ih\estigati-ons were recently made into the length not only of the working day but also of,-the worki-;-' week in the coalfields of Ifurope. i lie British Labour interpretation of the Washington Embt Hours Coinvention is that it definitely permits of a normal 48-hour week worked in not moi(c than six days. ■ Judged by this standard the average length 'of the working wreck for coal miners in Britain is below the requirement of the convention. In Germany the average is rather more than 48 hours a week; in Belgium it is 48 hours; in France it is 46.42 hours; anvd in Britain 47.28 hours. In Poland, iiJso, the working week appreciably exceeds 48 hours. A comparison of' the weekly hours of work is, therefore, generally in favour of Britain, although -the daily shift is generally longer. J