BRITISH COAL MINES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21198, 2 December 1930, Page 9

BRITISH COAL MINES

SPREADOVER OF HOURS.

DECISION OF CONFERENCE.

the proposal rejected

(British Official Wireless.) (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.)

RUGBY, November 29. foE i . G „° Ver + r eUt took P ro ®Pt action following the unexpected decision reached by a majority vote of the Miners Federation delegate conference refusing permission to the districts to accept a spreadover of hours. A fur ther meeting 0 f the federation is fixed for Tuesday. The Coal Act, which will come into operation on Monday, allows spreadover schemes to be operated in a district, but it gives the Miners’ Federation the power to veto. This veto the lederation exercised despite the fact that the schemes had been accepted in five No^ C Vff°l\- Wa T le ?> Cumberland, North Staffordshire, Leicestershire, and Bristol.

It is understood that the Miners lederation reached its decision contrary tO the advice of its officials. When it become known the president of the Board of Trade (Mr Graham) and the Secre tary of Mines (Mr Shinwell) had separ J *i,T tinss w * th the representatives of both the owners and the miners, Afterwards the Government despatched to the districts affected -by the decision telegrams to the owners and the workmen, ine telegram to the owners read:— Hope you will arrange to meet workmen and conclude temporary arrangements to continue work pending a further Miners’ Federation Conference next week. Am advising workmen to approach you.” The telegram to the work men reads “ Urge you to meet the employers and endeavour to arrange to work on Monday,” The Miners’ Federation sent a telegram to their district associations stating: In view-of-the conference’s decision, we advise you to approach the owners immediately and to make temporary arrangements to work seven and a-half hours on the best terms obtainable on day to day contracts until after a further conference meeting next Thursday.” The Daily Herald.(the Labour organ) expresses the view that “if a reipite can be gained by preventing stoppages for Monday, there is every ground for hope that before the next week is out the Government’s good offices will effect a general settlement.” Following the Government’s appeal for a truce, meetings are being arranged m the districts to-day. , STOPPAGE IN SCOTLAND. EXPECTED TO BE BRIEF, LONDON, November 30. The coal stoppage applies only to Scotland. It is expected to be brief, and it is hoped that there will be a temporary resumption of the night shift on December 1, pending a meeting of the delegates the same morning. Mr Cook declares that there can be no national strike pending a ballot vote in all districts.

A great upheaval has for the present been averted. The next stage is the national conference on December 4,

THE REAL DANGER POINT.

FIELDS IN SOUTH WALES.

(British Official Wireless.) v RUGBY,. November 30l It is now certain that in all the mining areas except the Scottish coalfields work will be continued as usual tomorrow. Saturday’s meeting of the Scottish delegates, which decided to cease work, took place at the same time as a similar meeting at Cardiff amonn the South Wales mining delegates, where the decision to continue work was reached. South Wales is a much more important coalfield, and, in fact, is regarded as the danger point of the situation. The settlement reached there provides grounds for expectation that tomorrow’s meeting in Scotland will lead to a resumption »f work. The Secretary of Mines (Mr Shinwell), in a statement, said: “There will be no interference with normal trans actions in coal and no interference with exports, and buyers of coal need be under no misapprehension about obtaining supplies. There will be an abundance of coal produced.” He pointed out that the Government had been in constant touch with both sides during the dispute, and mentioned that the National Industrial Board made in regard to the Scottish appeal a similar recommendation to that in the case of South Wales—namely, that a temporary settlement pending negotiations should be pffected, that there should be no wage reductions and that the spreadover principle should be adopted. Actually the agreement reached by the South Wales owners and miners provided for work on eleven days of eight hours each during a fortnight. This gives 88 hours for. a fortnight, as against the permissible 90 hours a fortnight if seven and a-half hours a day per working week, as laid down by the new Coal , Mines Act, was adhered to rigidly. s

MR SHINWELL’S ASSURANCE. NO CAUSE FOR ALARM. , LONDON, November 30. “There is nothing to be alarmed about,” said Mr Shinwell. “ Whatever happens will, be of a short duration. The men are displaying great forbearance in trying circumstances.” THE POSITION IMPROVED. GENERAL STOPPAGE UNLIKELY. LONDON, December 1. (Received Dec. 2, at 0.15 a.m.) There is a general belief that, despite the attitude of the Scottish miners, the coal position has improved during the week-end. The' miners are now persuaded that it is foolish to reject a spread-over of hours, which is accept - able in many districts. The danger of a national stoppage appears thus to have been removed.