INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 79, 30 March 1912, Page 5

INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

THE .ENGLISH COAL STRIKE. WORK BEING RESUMED. ; (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) \ (United Press Association.) (Received 30, 9.40 a.m. London, March -29. The Minimum Bill has received the Royal: assent, j Mr Pointer,, the ' Labour rPa rt.sr* 3* junior said the Premier was exceedingly weak and erratic in the negotiation, and constantly blundered, but all his blunders were inimical to the miners- interests. He had feared a combination of Conservatives and rich Liberals against him, and thus Labour was left in the cold. Mr Richards, Labour member for has converted a large majority of the South Wales miners to voting for resumption by unions. ..The treasurer of the South Wales Federation regretted :.that.-jtlio,, tional Federation did not give some load or recommendation regarding the ballot ,at this most critical stage. Miners at, -Byn'kinallt passed a re--solution to abandon the foolish loyalty to men much better off than themselves. ‘ ' * ' : "■ ' Two thousand' miners in Warwickshire have resumed. Large numbers in Lanarkshire have resumed, stipulating that they should be paid to-morrow because they are starving. ' London, March 29. The miners’ leaders have returned to the colliery dictricts describing Lie Bill as a victory for the men. The prospects of the ballot favourable, although a strong body in South Wales is ox>posed to the resumption of work. The display of the military at Chirck has exercised a sobering influence on the men, and all pits are now working unmolested. The police when stoned at Mexborcugh retaliated with a baton charge. There were other disturbances at Walsall, where two thousand Cannock Chase strikers compelled the Bloxwich colliery to cease work. The Strike Bill has been read for the third time in the House of Lords. The Government will not proceed with the amendment, which more dearly defines the meaning of the phraise “average daily rat© of wages.” Lord Crowe explained that the proposed amendment was unimportant, but the miners arc 'suspicious of any change favouring tine owners. Therefore the amendment was abandoned. Lord Lansdowne protested.

UNJ VEESAL ‘ DESTITUTION. (Received 30, 10.25 a.in.) London, .March 29. Ten thousand are being fed from the Mayor’s fund at Middlesbcrough, while 7700 children at Cardiff are being fed by charity, and many families, including numerous sick, arc without j food. I The Lord Mayor of Manchester has' opened a fund. There is great destitution at Stockport, Lancaster, Swinton and. Tyldesloy. The municipality of Glasgow voted £2OOO for local relief. D. Oxford and Sons, shipbuilders, Sunderland, are closing owing to lack of coal, thus rendering idle throe thousand workmen. The Miners’ Union has disbursed £1,013,250 in strike pay and still hold securities nominally worth £950,900, mostly belonging to Durham, Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and Nottingham.

; The funds of the North Wales,, ’Warwickshire, Cumberland, Somorsot and Bristol Unions are exhausted. Mr Ashton, • secretary of the Miners’ Federation, recommends resumption. , The National Free Church Council is organising a relief committee in every district and ‘collections- have been ordered for Good Friday and Easter. The unemployed, returns disclose that the strike lias not caused abnormal distress in London. DECISIVE RESUMPTION VOTE. (Received 30, 10.55 a.m.) London, March. 29. Mr Ashton, secretary of the Federation, has issued a personal manifesto advising the miners to vote for resumption. He explains his action at this time on the ground that some leaders of the Federation are advising the men not to resume. Mr Hartisford, speaking at Malstog, said if the men returned they would not surrender, but only test what they won. About ten thousand have resumed in various districts. The ballot has been completed at Chirk and resulted over two to one in favour of resumption. TO COMBAT STRIKES. ■ (Received 30, 10.0 a.m.) . Brisbane, March. 30. Mr Denham, in a policy speech, proposed to recast and modernise the education system. He promised legislation to make impossible .mother such disastrous strike as that Which recently brought industrial lifo to a standstill. t / MINING ENGINEERS’ DISPUTE. Waihi, March. 29. > *' The Conciliation Council, composed of T. Harle Giles (Commissioner) and assessors, commenced a sitting yesterday morning, which concluded in the afternoon, in the matter of. a dispute between the Ohinemuri branch of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers and the local mining companies. It was agreed that 45 hours should be a week’s work, and that in wet places a 6-hours’ shift should he worked. Regarding apprentices, it was agreed that certificates of service should he issued, and it was also agreed, that the minimum wage, for tradesmen serving 5 years’ 1 apprenticeship, or .5 years continuously in one company, should be 11s.per day. Youths’ wages should be: iFrst year Is per .day, second ss, third 6b, fourth;’ 7s, fifth Bs. After this they- receive ’ journeymen’s wages. The proceedings ‘were - .‘characterised • with • the* ut— - most good feeling on both sides. N MTHGOW IRON WORKS. ‘. (Received 30, 9.85 a.nx.) Sydney, March. 30. The Labour Council recommended -the adoption of the executive’s suggestion that the embargo on, Lifchgow iron should be removed. The unions concerned confer un4h the Council’s executive on Tuesday.