NEGOTIATIONS FAIL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19358, 13 July 1925, Page 5

NEGOTIATIONS FAIL

MINERS AND OWNERS WILL NOT MEET NATIONAL INQUIRY EXPECTED By Telegraph—Per Press Assn.—Copyright. Received July 12, 5.5 p.m. LONDON, July 11. The Hon. W. C. Bridgeman failed in ; his efforts to bring the coal owners and [miners together again. ' The miners told him they were not I prepared to confer unless the owners withdrew their notice terminating the | national agreement, also their new proI posals. , Mr Bridgeman sounded the owners, who declined to withdraw their notice but wore agreeable to resume negotiations at the point where they left off. ' The Miners Federation finally inti- ! mated that as their reasonable request was refused they would not agree to a conference. It is generally believed that the next step will be a national inquiry into the conduct of the industry.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. | “WILL BE INTERNATIONAL” | “PITS MAY BE OURS BEFORE LONG.” I MR. COOK INCITES THE MINERS. i Received July 12, 11.5 p.m. LONDON, July 11. Mr. Cook, the miners’ secretary, | amid cheers, took off his coat when he j addressed a meeting at Sutherland. He i said his contention was that so long as I a penny was going in mining royalties | they were not budging from their doI mands. If a struggle occurred it was |an international struggle. “Don’t let |us destroy the pits. They may be ours before long,” he said. FRENCH AND BELGIANS TO STRIKE Received July .12. 1.15 a.m. (Sun) LONDON, July 11. Mr. Cook added that the unions had drawn up an alliance and there would j be an executive conference on the 17th : representing 3,500,000 workers. Tho ; French and Belgian miners had decided I to strike to resist the wage reduction . and all were going to strike together in the event of a non-settlemeut. They were also cabling America. “OWNERS’ TERMS IMPOSSIBLE” Received July 12, 5.5 p.m. LONDON, July 11. The executive of the Miners’ Fcdera- • tion conferred for an hour with the Hon. C. Bridgeman, Sir A. Steel Maitland and Mr Lane-Fox, to whom, it. is i understood, they made it quite clear I that it was absolutely impossible for; the miners’ representatives to meet the coal owners on the owners’ present pro- i posals. | APPEAL TO ALL WORKERS Received July 12, 5.5 p.m. LONDON, July 11. The Daily Herald states that ad’ter a conference with the Hon. W. ('. Bridgeman, the Miners’ Executive laid the men’s case before the general council of the Trades’ Union Congress, which later lengthily deliberated, during which the Secretary of the Minister of Mines called. The Herald understands that tho council resolved to appeal to the whole movement to support the miners.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

GERMAN!’ AND BRITISH COAL Received July 12. 5.5 p.m. BERLIN, July 11. The German coal commissioner denies the London story that the importation lof British coal is prohibited. There is merely a restriction on the imports owing to the depression in the German coal industry.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. PROTESTS AGAINST “DEGRADING STANDARD OF LIFE” Received July 12, 5.5 p.m. Reuter. LONDON, July 11. The general council of the Trade (Union Congress, after meeting the Executive of the Miners’ Federation, issued a manifesto endorsing the latter’s refusal to meet the coal owners until |tbc latter’s proposals were withdrawn, ( undertaking to co-operate whole--heartedly with the miners in their rcjsistance to what they term the “degradation of the standard of life.” A committee was appointed to maintain continuous contact with negotiations now proceeding, with power to summon the general council if necessary. The Hon. W. C. Bridgeman has sent a letter to the Coal Owners’ Federation saying he had seen the president of the coal miners who, while declining to ’withdraw the notices and terminate (the agreement, recommended a continuance of the negotiations.

The Federation replied regretting that the coal minors refused a reasonable request, namely, to withdraw the notices.