MINERS’ STRIKE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16461, 24 June 1921, Page 4

MINERS’ STRIKE.

'? BLAST FURNACES IDLE. CONFERENCE OF UNIONS. 4 ■ By Telegraph—Tresft Association Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable. Association. LONDON. June 22. Since the New Year seventy million working days have been lost owing to Jabour disputes. For the first time in the history or the industry in Britain, pot a single blast, furnace is operating- Normally, three hundred would be working. It will cost £‘sooo to rekindle each furnace, so at least £ 1,000,000 must be expended to reestablish the industry u in which 132-5,000 workmen uow are idle. The only development of the coal dispute is filing a .joint conference for Saturday, between the miners’ executive and other trade unions threatened with wage cuts. The miners are not building much hope upon a general strike. It is more probable that an effort will be made to secure bigger financial support, for tbe miners. Speaking at a mass meeting at Merthyr. Mr *>oah Ablett advocated withdrawing safety men from the mines to hasten the end of what had become a trial of endurance. Stocks of coal in the country soon would bo exhausted. The miners would still win if they stuck together. Strikers tried to prevent safety men working in the West, Lothian mine today, hut a detachment of Royal Scots was summoned, and escorted the safety men to the pits. Exciting scenes were witnessed at the Hollvbank Colliery. Staffordshire. Five hundred miners started work. A big body of strikers attempted to prevent them, but a hundred police arrived and guarded the colliery, enabling the five hundred men to work unmolested, though they were subjected to hostile demonstrations when returning to their homes.