THE BRITISH MINERS' STRIKE

Southland Times, Issue 17003, 29 March 1912, Page 6

THE BRITISH MINERS' STRIKE

«Hrn PASSAGE 07 THE BUI. MR ASQUITH’S WARNING. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.— Copyright.) LONDON. March 27. Four thousand miners are back at Work. The Government hopes the passage of the Bill will afford an excuse tor the miners' return to work. The leaders favour In the main accepting the Bill to the extent of assisting to form district t boards, and endeavouring to Secure satisfactory minima, but it is probably that orders will be issued •gainst returning to the pits until wages •re fixed. , - Mr Asquith warned the miners of the heavy responsibility if they persisted in the strike when the Bill had passed. She Government had gone beyond pre- . cedent in asking Parliament to accept the principle .of the minimum. Mr Bonar Law said that the whole Vesources of the country must protect SHen desiring to work. An amendment in the report stage for the Introduction of the five shillings and two shillings minimum was rejected by ' *26 to 83, the Nationalists abstaining - from voting. Forty-three Liberals supported the Labourites, including Sir H. J. Dalzlel and Messrs Atherley-Jones •nd Sylvester Horne. Mr Harvey stated that over one hundred thousand men working under-, (round would not get five shillings. The Government amendment passed by 265 to 135 votes. The Instruction to district boards will be to have regard to the average daily Wage now paid to miners. The Labour party moved an amendment that the rate fixed should never be less than the average dally rate. This Was rejected by 271 to 101. Mr Macdonald, on the third reading, •aid that the Bill was simply making fools of the men. They should try to . use the Bill, but not let anybody Imagine that the strike had been declared off. Mr Lloyd George said that Mr Macdonald’s language was deplorable. The Bill embodied the miners' very words. •The ballot In favour of the strike was pot given upon the schedule, but on the principle of the minimum. That was a gigantic advance for Labour. It was not upright or courageous of the Labour party to destroy the Bill. The effect would be to plunge the people into even greater misery. The BUI was read a third time by 213 to 48, Labourites opposing and a majority of Unionists abstaining from voting. Mr Asquith was warmly cheered on leaving the House. X ' KB RAMSAY MACDONALD. LONDON, March 27. The "Times" commenting on Mr Lloyd George’s retaliation on Mr Ramsay Macdonald, describes Mr Macdonald as amusing with his air of patron towards the miners and schoolmaster towards the Government and owners. Mr Macdonald was becoming ridiculous in his attempt to conceal his lack of Influence on the ' real labour movement by assuming airs of Importance. OWNERS ACCEPT BILL. « MEN ADVISED TO DO LIKEWISE. LONDON, March 27. [ The mineowners’ at a meeting accepted the Minimum Bill. The ballot papers for the miners do not recommend how the men are to vote. The results will be*known next Wednesday. Mr McKenna, in the House of Commons, said that the Government would afford adequate protection where owners, were willing to re-open mines and miners were willing to work. The Miners’ Federation has decided to ' ballot whether to resume work. The ballot papers ask whether the miners will resume pending district boards settlement;of the minimum for the various grades. ; Mr Ramsay Macdonald, advises the atrlkers-’to accept the Bill and to establish Jijjnt boards, and get early decisions oi such felmple points as 5s a day for woqsera. If the decisions are satisshould be regarded as an indl cat loir what the other decisions are likely to be and work could be resumed Immediately. As an alternative he recommended, a ballot. Mr V. Hartshorne, .interviewed, said that the strike was only commencing. He anticipates, with Labour Commoners' assistance at mass meetings throughout the country, to organise a dogged resistance Then it would be seen who could hold out longest—the miners or the nation.

Mr Stanton, Interviewed, said that In View of the solidarity of labour, the miners could within a week, by the stoppage of railways and other transport, bring the Government to its knees begging them to resume on terms now declared Impossible. Notwithstanding the above --opinions the recommendation of a ballot is interpreted as Intended to shelve the responsibility of future action on the miners. SEBXOUS DISTURBANCES. , ARMED TROOPS ENTRAINING. LONDON, March 28. Received March 29, 1.55 a.m. Five hundred Yorkshires have gone to Littleton collieries Cannockchase, where a mob Is preventing the non-strikers from re-aasembllng on the surface by throwing missiles down the pit upon them. Despite the appeal of the miners’ agent, .the mob overpowered the police and burnt the buildings, the damage amounting to £3OOO, Numerous baton charges were made and the police finally sent urgent messages to the military at Lichfield and a detachment of Infantry arrived. Two regiments at Aldershot, provided with ball ammunition and three days’ rations, are entraining for. an unknown strike area, where disorder Is threatened. Other troops are confined to barracks. DABOUB DIFFERENCES, angry scenes, LONDON, March 28. Received March 29, 1.23 a.m. Sfr Kelr Hardle, at Camberwell, said that the Coal Bill was compulsory and both sides must accept. The Board’s might meet on Friday or Saturday If the owners wished to concede the 5s and 2s minima. After that details would be easy. It Is possible that the men will be back at work by Easter Monday. Mr Henderson declares that the Labour Party and the Miners’ Federation having made their protest, It now behoves everybody, to make the Bill effective. The 5s and '2s ought to be the first business of the District Boards. The Times states that the split between the trade union wing and Socialists Labour Party resulted in angry scenes and recriminations on Tuesday night. Before it was decided to oppose the Miners’ Bill Mr Macdonald counselled abstaining.