BRITISH COAL STRIKE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16876, 25 October 1920, Page 3

BRITISH COAL STRIKE.

INFORMAL CONFERENCE HELD

SPLIT AMONG RAILWAYMEN. By Telegraph—Press Assn.— Copyright. (Received Oct. 25, 9.40 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 24. The conference sat for two hours. The miners’ leaders are reporting tho result of the discussion to tho executive this afternoon. Mr Lloyd George remains in town to receive any further representations. Tho miners’ executive has adjourned until to-morrow, when Mr. Lloyd George and the miners’ leaders will meet again. » There has been considerable divergence among railwaymen regarding the threat to strike and much opposition at some meetings. A mass meeting of railwaymen at Holyhead unanimously adopted a resolution not to cease work. The informal character of to-day’s conference at Downing Street is shown by the absence of an official shorthand writer. Those present, besides Mr. Lloyd George, include Sir Robt. Horne (Minister of Labour), Mr. W. C. Bridgeman (Parliamentary Secretary for Trade), Mr. A. Duncan (Coal Controller), Mr. Bohar Law', and Messrs. Smillie and Hodges, and Mr. Herbert Smith (a Labour Department official), Tho cftnference is ima hopeful mood.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.

LONDON, Oct. 23. Mr. Lloyd George, in a letter to the miners’ executive, suggests a preliminary meeting between Ministers and several representatives of the executive to endeavour to arrive at a basis of settlement before the conference with the whole executive.

The Miners agreed, and are sending four officials, including Mr. Smillie and Mr. Hodges, to meet Ministers at Downing Street on Sunday morning. It is unofficially stated there arc good prospects of a settlement. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

SYMPATHY IN GERMANY,

TROUBLESOME SOVIET AGENTS. (Received Oct. 25, 9.20 a.m.) PARIS, Oct. 24. The Berlin correspondent of the Journal declares that secret agents from Moscow are stirring up the miners in the Ruhr Valley to strike in sympathy with the English miners. Unrest among railwaymen is increasing.—Aus.N .Z. Cable Assn. SETTLEMENT HOPES REVIVED. WELSH EXTREMISTS ACTIVE. LONDON, Oct. 22. Summing up the strike position, Mr. Bonar Law, speaking in the House of Commons, said the position was still very grave. Ministers still continue to explore every avenue which may lead to peace.

The Parliamentary committee of the Trade Union Congress has decided to call a special congress of the executives of affiliated unions for Wednesday, to decide how best to help the miners, the general' belief being that this may persuade the railwaymen’s executive to hold their hand for the present. The Associated Society of Locomotive Enginemen have not yet decided to join the strike; at any rate, they will not come out on Sunday, Mr. Bromley (the secretary) says he believes there will Hot be a railway strike. The Globe states that Mr. J. H. Thomas, M.P. (the railwayraen’s leader), when seen in the lobby of the House of Commons, said that in the event of a railway strike lie would not lead it. Meanwhile extremists continue attempts to inflame the situation. Unruly South'Wales miners to-day adopted a resolution in favour of withdrawing all labour from the mines, including the pump hands. A motion that the miners should work the mines during the strike for their own benefit was re-jected.—Aus'.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

MINERS INFLUENCE RAILWAYMEN.

VANCOUVER, Oct. 23. A United Press message from London states that the railwayman’s strike lias been postponed.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

As a result of unofficial discussions lasting two days between Ministers and miners for a basis upon, which to resume the official negotiations with a prospect of settlement, Mr, Lloyd George forminvited tho miners’ executive to again confer with the Government. Thereupon* the miners requested the railwaymen’s executive to postpone the railway strike, which the latter agreed to do.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. NO SECTIONAL ACTION. DESIRE OF UNION CONGRESS. LONDON, Oct. 22. It is now generally accepted that tho motives of the Parliamentary committee of the Trade Union Congress in intervening are to keep the situation under control, and to attempt to find a, way towards giving a guarantee to tho Government which would enable the Government to resume negotiations with tho miners.

The committee, in summoning tho conference, expressed the desire that no separate union should act in such a way as to defeat the effort to ensure a united settlement of tho matter, which was too important to allow of sectional action.

Among hopeful developments is the summoning of the minors’ executive to London. The members had dispersed, stating that there was no need to remain in session, and one of the first steps necessary towards a settlement was to induce them to re-assemble.

Importance attaches to to-day’s separate meetings of the miners’ and the railwaymen’s executives, to be followed by a joint meeting. It is believed the miners deprecate the railwaymen’s precipitate intervention, and it is generally hoped that the Parliamentary committee’s request that no separate action be taken will lead to the railwaymen postponing their strike threat, if not abandoning it in favour of the Parliamentary committee’s proposed conference on Wednesday.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. LACK OF EMPLOYMENT. LONDON, Oct. 24. Owing to the miners’ strike, other workers discharged in England and Wales include 102,000 through reductions in staffs, and 90,000 placed on short time. The loss to Sheffield through cancelled contracts is nearly £250,000, Cotton operations in Lancashire will be placed on half time owing to official restrictions on the consumption of coal. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.