17 JANUARY 1931, Page 2

The Coal Crisis There was, after all, no sudden settlement

of the Welsh coal strike last week in spite of the general confidence. The negotiations at Cardiff broke down on Friday, January 9th, on the interpretation of the terms accepted as a basis for discussion. The miners were upset by a statement that Mr. Graham, the President of the Board of Trade, had told the owners by telephone that he agreed with their interpretation. Mr. Graham then explained that he had said nothing about inter- pretation, but had merely stated that the new Conciliation Board would consider all such matters. as had been settled by the old Conciliation Board on December 13th, 1926. That settlement, as everybody knows, expired at the end of November, 1930.

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