MINERS' CRISIS.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1920, Page 5

MINERS' CRISIS.

NO CHANCE IN POSITION, iIAKBTG sure op support/ St Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received Sept. 24, 10.30 p.m, London, Sept. 24. The triple alliance sat the whole evening. It is reported that they discussed the question of direct action by the railwaymen and transport workers with the miners, who claimed the position was unaltered by the intervention of the Premier. Eventually the sitting ol the alliance adjourned until to-morrow. The alliance 'was apparently discussing whether the railwaymen and transport workers ■will give the miners active, or only moral »upport.—Reuter Service.

MORE HOPEFUL SIGN*. SYMPATHET t C STRIKE OPPOSED. ■ Received Sept. 24, 5.5 p.m. ' London, Sept. 24. It is unofficially stated that the miners Voted 360 lor and 545 against a fresh .ballot. Mr. Smillie strongly advocated the affirmative, and it is reported be even threatened to resign if j the tray was blocked to a conciliatory settlement, but the other v leaders dissuaded him. » It. u believed the protracted character o! the triple alliance proceedings ia due strong aversion of the railwaymen and transport workers to a sympathetic strike, and they may yet Induce the minerj to consent to a second Jiallot,—Aua.-KZ. Cable Assn. SUPPORT FOR WAGES CLAIMS. NO SECOND BALLOT WANTED. London, Sept. 23. ' The triple alliance conference rejsrimed and adjourned in order to conelder report of the joint deputation I ;to; the Premier last night sectionally. It » now announced that the conference of ntiners' delegates rejected the proposal to take a second ballot on the question of submitting the two shillings page claim to arbitration. ' It is un</jrstood that a letter from Sir. Lloyd George to Mr. Smillie wa* read at .the delegate conference. The triple' alliance deputation included the miners' executive, Messrs. Q. H, Thomas and Cramp (on behalf of the railwaymen), and Messrs. Williams' and Gosling (on behalf of the transport workers). The Prime Minister was accompanied by Sir Robert Home of the Board of Trade), Sir (Erie Geddes ((Minister of Transport), und Sir David Shackleton (permanent (secretary of the Ministry of Labor.)' The official report shows that the repTesentatives of the railwaymen and the transport workers warmly supported, (the miners' wages claim. , Mr. Lloyd George insisted that if the miners persisted in die demand for increased wages, the demand must b<i submitted to the tribunal, whose impartiality the miners could not challenge, but he proposed as an alternative that the miners and mine-owners* Should meet and agrge on a scheme which would make the increase is ■wages dependent on 4n increase in output. He suggested that a level of output should be fixed, all output above this level to involve extra remuneration. This level might even be fixed talotf the present output, thus assuring a certain increase in wages immediately. The Government was prepared • #o make this concession in view of the Jadvut*g»,to the country of security of relation between wages and output. Mr. Lloyd George urged the miners .$o suspend the strike notices for a week lor a fortnight while they examined with jthe mineowners the feasibility of the '|>lan. . The miners still urged an immediate hdvance of 2s, but a subsequent confer- - knee deliberated privately on the new filiation created.—Reuter.