FATEFUL DAY OF DECISION.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 30 April 1926, Page 9

FATEFUL DAY OF DECISION.

Britain’s Coal Crisis. HOW NEGOTIATIONS STAND. By Coble —Press Association —Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received April 29, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, April 29. The coal negotiations reached the following stage at midnight when the conference adjourned, Mr Baldwin and all parties being tired and exhausted: The owners concede a national, instead of a district agreement and minimum. The owners are prepared to face the retention of the seven hour day. The miners forced the reconstruction of the industry to the forefront. Future assets are being exhaustively analysed by all parties, with a view to basing the new -wage rates thereon, the miners arguing that if the industry were overhauled forthwith, in accordance with the Coal

Commission’s report, drastic revision of pay or hours would be unnecessary. Moreover such revision should be further eased by the promised Government assistance.

“The Daily Express” states that instructions suspending the notices on Friday at midnight are ready for issue, if the conversations proceed satisfactorily to-day, in which case the': Subsidy will be continued for a

week or two. Officials of the Mines Department are' of opinion that the men will continue to work while the final details are thrashed out.

“The Daily Herald” says the miners told Mr Baldwin that so long as private enterprise is maintained, there was an obligation to find the money for an adequate wage, and the matter rested with, the owners.

“I put my ace on the table, you put yours,” said Mr Herbert Smith,for the miners, who argued that it is the defective organisation of the industry, for which: they are not responsible, which has rendered it unable to cope with the existing world crisis. The newspapers in closest touch with the owners still regard the situation pessimistically. EFFECT OF COAL SUBSIDY. GERMAN OVERSEA TRADE BADLY HIT. By C*bid —Presa Association— Copyright. Reuter’s Telegrams. (Received April 29, 7.40, p.m.) BERLIN, April 28. Speaking nt a meeting of German industrial and eommereinl representatives, Dr. Luther, welcomed the British Coal Commission's rejection of tho idea of continuing the coal subsidy, the serious effect of which on German coal, could be ganged firm the fact that the coal export from the Ruhr was 1,050,000 tons in March, compared with 1,000,000 tons in July last year, while 377,00 men wore' employed in the Ruhr in March, compared with 423,000 in July last year. Mines were still closing down or working short time.

COAL CRISIS IN AUSTRALIA. BIG UPHEAVAL LOOMING. NEW AWARD UNACCEPTABLE. ®y Cable— Press Association—Copyright Australia!, and N.Z. Cable Association. ' , SYDNEY, April 29. As a result oi the (Joai Coufereiico adjourning sine die, stoppages at col.ienes throughout New South Wales, victoria and Tasmania appear inevitl flblo when the ultimatum Expires on May 8. Besides idling 1200 engine drivers, it will involve about 30,000 miners anti operatives. The came of the breakdown of the conference wa s the claim ot the employees for the restoration of certain marginal differences, which weiic lost under the Dibble award. The men demanded that the owners should grant margins to them. This th 0 owner s refused, but stated that they were prepared to .-Plow the m; jtte r to go before a special tribunal. The men’s representatives refused tins offer.

Mr Justice Hibble, in a statement, at the conclusion, emphasised that the award did not in one single instance reduce wages, or lower conditions: on the contrary the owners had given substantial increases of is to is 6d daily, besides in many respects improved working conditions. ]t was true tlic full marginal differences between the base rates and the higher paid men Jintl not been maintained, as in tlie circumstances it had been found impossible to do so. He warned the engine drivers that their contemplated action was quite , illegal. Notwithstanding the fact that fourteen days’ notice had been given, the notices" should |, G withdrawn, and proper constitutional measures relied upon.

The men working under the Federal awards in the metal trades are in no wav perturbed by the threatened notion of the employers over the 44 boars decision. The moil arc resolutely determined to continue tinder the present conditions. and state that if the employers put their throat into effect it will amount to a lock-out. and will therefore constitute a breach of the Crimes Act.

They ?av the Federal awards prescribe that not more than 48 hours shall be worked, and do not prevent men working loss Ilian 48 hours.