NEWS OF THE WEEK.
ASETTLEMENT of the mining dispute followed quickly upon the issue of Lord Buckmaster's Report. Lord Buckmaster's opinion that employers and men were so nearly agreed that a brief further discussion would bring peace turned out to be sound and shrewd. On Thursday, May 15th, the Miners' Negotiating Com- mittee accepted the owners' revised offer, which pro- posed a minimum percentage of 38i per cent. (an increase of 18i per cent.), with a substantial improve- ment in the men's proportion of profits. This arrange- ment has yet to be ratified, but it is generally expected that there will be no objection at the Delegates' Con- ference to be held in London on May 29th. If there had been a fresh deadlock in the negotiations. the Government would have had to redeem their pledge to introduce a Minimum Wage Bill—a pledge from which they are no doubt glad to be released.
