BRIGHTER.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 September 1920, Page 5

BRIGHTER.

BRITISH COAL CRISIS.

HOPES OF SETTLEMENT. By Telegraph.—Pres3 Assn.—Copyright. Received Sept. 28, 10-30 p.in. London, Sept. 27. The coal situation is brighter than it has been for some weeks, and general satisfaction is manifested by the owners and the miners at the prospect of negotiations reaching a lasting settlement. The belief is confidently entertained that a datum line will be fixed at tomorrow's conference. In this connection Lord Aberconway (chairman of the Sheepbridge Colliery) anticipates that Ihe line will be approximately 240,000,000 tons, which is well below what the men produced in the* past. It is understood that the miners *re anxious that the datum line should be so determined as to secure, on the present output, a 2s advance in wages. —Reuter Service. OWNERS AND MEN MEET. | '• AMICABLE DISCUSSION HELD. Received Sept. 28, 11.35 p.m. London, Sept. 27. A joint conference of coal owners and minere sat for three hours, and discussed the cause of the reduction of output, and the means of securing an increased output. The conference then adjourned until to-moreow for the purpose of enabling the miners to consult I with their respective committees. It ;s understood that the negotiations are proceeding in the friendliest manner, and there are grounds for hoping that a mutually satisfactory settlement will be j reached immediately. It is expected that a definite decision will be submitted to the National Conference of miners' delegates in London on September 30 for acceptancl. Meanwhile, however, a meeting of the executive council of the South Wales Miners' Federation at Cardiff, passed a resolution declaring, in view of the very general protests from districts, against committing the miners in the present negotiations to a future regulation of wages by output. The Council decided to telegraph the Welsh representatives on the committee of the Mine's' Federation of Great Britain, stating that the Council is unanimously of the opinion that the present demand for an increase hi wages should be settled. The whole matter of the consolidation qf present wages, and the method of regulation of future changes, should be subject to -investigation and further consultation with all the workmen.—Reuter Service.

A COMPLICATION. WALES MAY CAUSE SPLIT. Received Sept. 29, 1.10 -a.m ' London, Sept. 28. While .it is believed that the coal owners and the miners reached a provisional agreement regarding the new output basis, the action of the Welsh ■miners!' executive has introduced a serious complication, which means that the Welshmen insist upon tha immediate grant of the 2s demand before the out-' put basis is fixed. This points to possible separate strike action if the Welsh' objections are not sustained. —Reuter Service.