29 MARCH 1924, Page 2

The situation in the mining dispute is a little better.

The Government's policy of making every attempt to keep the affair out of politics is still maintained, The owners' offer, which was a sort of halfway house between the present position and the Federation's demands, is still the subject of discussion. The owners appear willing to modify it in certain minor respects, but as yet not sufficiently to satisfy the Federation. Meanwhile it is reported that the men in the coalfields themselves, especially in Scotland, South Wales and Lancashire, are adhering more and more to even larger demands than those of the Federation. At the Delegates' Conference on Wednesday, however, a fresh meeting between owners and miners was sanctioned.