BRITISH COAL DISPUTE

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19765, 21 December 1935, Page 7

BRITISH COAL DISPUTE

MINERS’ DEMANDS. OWNERS TO SUBMIT AN OFFER. (BEGINNING OF NEW POLICY. J (Official Wireless.) (Received Dec. 21, 1.15 p.m.) RUGBY, Dec. 20. The principal subject discussed on the motion for the adjournment in the House of Commons was the position in the coal industry arising out of yesterday’s decision of the miners' delegate conference to tender notices in the coalflelds to cease work on January -27, unless in the meantime a satisfactory settlement of the wages claim is reached. The Secretary for Mines, Mr Ernest Brown, referred to the appeal he had made to the men’s leaders to investigate fully the offer made by the owners, the actual terms of which they would not be in a position to communicate to the Union before January 6. He said lie took the date fixed for the handing in of notices as a response to that appeal, for which he expressed gratitude. He was convinced that the reorganisation of selling agencies was the right line along which to advance to an improvement of the position of the coal industry as a whole. It was the beginning of a new policy, and it would be a great misfortune if progress were delayed by a strike in the intervening period. He hoped they would be able to llnd a solution of outstanding difficulties. Mr Crookshank, Under Secretary for Home Affairs, repeated that the Government was not 4 prepared to contribute a subsidy out of the public funds.