The agreement reached on Thursday, October 28th, between the Government,
the coal-owners, and the Miners' Federation pro- vided for a temporary advance in wages of two shillings a day as soon as the miners resumed work. From January 3rd next, this advance is to be modified in accordance with the value of the coal exported. If the weekly averages of coal exports for the five weeks ending with December 18th are as large as the weekly averages during the September quarter, the advance of wages is to be reduced to a shilling a day. An additional sixpence a day will be paid for every complete £288,000 by which the weekly proceeds of coal exports in the five weeks exceed the weekly proceeds in the September quarter. For the purposes of the agreement, it is assumed that the country must retain 219,000,000 tons a year for home consumption, and that only fie surplus coal produced above that amount may be exported. The coal-owners are to gain or lose a quarter of their share—a tenth—of excess profits, for every sixpence added to or deducted from the men's wages. The Mining Association and the Miners' Federation "solemnly pledge themselves to make every effort" to increase the output of coal, through district committees and a national committee, and to prepare a new wages scheme by March next, so as to get rid of present anomalies and provide against future difficulties."
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