The miners, by their district votes, have prevented any national
framework from being saved in the coal settlement. Since their proposals were rejected the Government have said nothing more about either the general conditions to which it was proposed to subject the district settlements or the National Tribunal. The Delegate Conference of the Miners' Federation met on Friday, November 19th, to consider the results of the voting. The figures were : For the rejection of the Government's offer, 460,806 ; for acceptance, 818,200. The majority against was, therefore, 147,606. A series of resolutions was laid before the Conference ranging from a recommendation to continue the fight to a suggestion that practically nothing should be done except to help the districts to make the best settlements possible. In the end the resolution proposed by South Wales was adopted to the effect that the districts should be advised to open negotiations with the coal owners immediately but that the Executive Committee of the Federation should decide what general principles should guide the districts and that the districts should not enter into final settlements until the Delegate Conference had considered them.
* *
Previous page
