BRITISH GOAL TRADE

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17654, 7 March 1929, Page 7

BRITISH GOAL TRADE

PREMIER MEETS MINERS.' SOME SUGGESTIONS CONSIDERED. MR BALDWIN’S APPEAL. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright) 1 (Official Wireless.) (Received March 7, 12.30 a.m.) j RUGBY, March 6. A joint report is officially issued of yesterday's interview between- the Prime Minister, who was accompanied by other Ministers, and »he executive ol' the Miners’ Federation. j Miners’ Suggestions. Mr Herbert Smith, president of the Miners’ Federation, emphasised the low wages and the large amount of unemployment.ruling in the mining industry and suggested as remedies the superannuation ol' older miners, rais-. ing of the school-leaving age in mining areas, the abolition ol' the eight-hour day and the international division' of foreign markets. j Mr A. J. Cook pressed for a national scheme to prevent an unduly low price for coal in consequence ol' competition, and for steps by the Government to secure the more rapid development, of the processes for the scientific treatment of coal. Prime Minister’s Review. Tiie Prime Minister reviewed the position ol' the mining industry gen- j erally. He expressed the opinion that the present increase in the demand for coal was not entirely due to climatic conditions, and it had indeed been ap- ! parent, though to a less degree, before weather conditions throughout Europe hail had any effect.. As regarded amalgamations and other changes of organisation within the industry, the Prime Minister thought they were making satisfactory progress, and / direct Government intervention would not be advantageous, lie pointed out that the increased demand for coal had been met almost entirely by fuller employment for those on the collieries’ books without any substantial increase in the number employed. Even with an improvement in trade there would still tie a big surplus of labour in the mining areas, and in Ins view tile most important matter to bo dealt with at the present time was the trans-s l'er of surplus unemployed miners into employment in other industries. Mr Baldwin’s Appeal. Mr Baldwin appealed to the ofll». cials of the Miners’ Federation to use their intluencc in mining areas to ensure that full advantage was taken of the Government's scheme for training and transferring boys and adults in order that they might have the benefit of opportunities that existed for employment in other parts of the country.