The coal strike in London, which lasted a week, was
ended by a settlement arrived at onWe dnesday. Moat of the men have now returned to work at the old rates of pay, with the addition of certain concessions which were offered by the masters' Society on the 20th, but not accepted till the 28th. The men's chief demand—an extra penny per ton for both loaders and carmen —has not been granted by the general body of employers, but the decision of two firms to pay the additional penny is claimed by the Union leaders as a partial victory. Mean- while the deadlock in the building trade over the penalty pledge continues. The President of the London Building Industries Federation, addressing a mass meeting of men on Wednesday, said he was quite prepared that the Union leaders should give some guarantee that the agreements entered into with employers should be carried out ; at the same time, a resolution was unanimously carried declaring that no settle- ment can be acceptable which does not remedy outstanding grievances by providing for improved working conditions. Simultaneously the Master Builders' Federation palmed a resolution supporting the action of the London employers, and asserting that working-rule agreements with operative associations are valueless unless backed up by sufficient die ciplinary power to secure their observance by both parties.
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