The South Wales coal industry is once more in difficulties,
this time because the coal-owners and the Mines Department cannot agree as to the proportion of the wages bill which should be paid out of the Parliamentary grant-in-aid of £10,000,000. The owners say that they are being asked to pay in wags and other costs for July about £300,000 more than their gross takings. The Department takes a different view. It is to be observed that in no other district has there been any trouble in connexion with the wages bill. We should be sorry to infer that the Welsh coal-owners are less competent than any other coal-owners. But they are extremely unfortunate in their relations with the Government and the miners, and they seem to have no representative who can explain their grievances intelligibly in the Press. They are confronted by a skilful Communist propaganda which thrives on their mistakes.
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