Birmingham Gazette from Birmingham, West Midlands, England • 1

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27,069 Moth YEAR). FRIDAY, 9 JANUARY, 1931 ONE PENNY. swam 11111111111VIISIL WAY FOUND PLAN TO SAVE A STOPPAGE. Formula to to be Submitted Both Sides. SOUTH WALES HOPE.

EFFORTS were resumed at a joint meeting of owners and men, with a representative of the Mines Department, held in Birmingham yesterday, to avoid a stoppage in thq Warwickshire coalfield, which would affect I 7,000 men. After an all-day sitting an official announcement was made to the effect that a formula had been drawn up for submission to the respective associations of the masters and men for approval. Meanwhile work is to be continued on the old terms. In South Wales, where 140,000 men are idle, the miners are to submit a new plan to the owners to-day, and hope is growing that there will be an early settlement of the dispute. ALL-DAY MEETING.

COTTON STOPPAGE. Efforts to End Dispute in Other Unions to Support Warwickshire. Weavers. FOLLOWING the breakdown of the discussions between the Warwickshire coalowners and the men last week, the position was reported to the Mines Department, and a conference of the owners, the men and a Mines Department representative was arranged to be held in London. A meeting of the Northern Counties Textile Trades Federation decided, at Blackburn yesterday, to support the weavers who have ceased work at Burnley owing to the dispute over the system requiring weavers to work more looms per man.

Eight mills at Burnley are affected at present. It was subsequently decided, however, to hold it in Birmingham and yesterday Mr. W. L. Cook, conciliation officer of the Mines Department, met both the owners and the men's entatives.

The Northern Counties Textile Trades Federation represents all the various sections of operatives in the manufacturing branch of the industry. EMPLOYERS' DROISION. CAUSE OF DISPUTE. Alter an all-day Citing yesterday The following official statement was At the cross of the meeting, whits lasted four hours, it was officially announced that the Central Board of the Federation decided to e-affirm its previous decision to render all possible support to the Weavers' Amalgamation in their opposition to the employers' present proposals. The statement added, They regret that the Burnley Employers' Association have decided to close down the mills on Monday, thereby widening the dispute unnecessarily, probably in hiding greater hardship on the operatives, and making more difficult a settlement of the question at issue." The employers have decided to close all mills in the Burnley area on Monday, failing ft settlement of the dispute.

Representatives of the owners and miners, with Mr. W. L. Cook, of the Mines Department, met to-day, when a formula was drawn up to be submitted to their respective for approval. In the meanwhile work would be carried on on the old terms.

The deadiock last week was brought about by the owners' wish to continue the preser.t spreadover system, under which the men make up a 45-hour week by an eight-hour day, with five hours on Saturdays. This the men's representatives refused to accept, it being pointed out that the owners' terms would represent a wages reduction of ls. 3cl. in the t. SOUTH WALES PLAN.

Hopes 01 a settlement in the South Wales coal dispute were strengthened yesterday, following the Joint meeting in London on Wednesday between representatives of both sides, at which it was agreed to hold a meeting of the Joint Conciliation Board at Cardiff Mr Tom Richards, one of the men'r representatives at the parleys in London. returned to Cardiff yesterday. and placed before the South Miners' Federation Executive the results of the negotiations. Within a short time the delegates had agreed to a plan to be submitted to the owners to-day. The Gazette understands that they will agree that certain points in disputa between the two parties should be submitted to an independent chairman of the new Conciliation Board to be set up.

In the meantime there will be no reduction In wages for the seven-anda-half-hour day to be worked until a new agreement Is drawn up. It is by concessiona of this kind by both sides that the way out of the difficulty is. tt is hoped, to be found, and the miners confidently expect agreement within two or three hours. PREMIER'S STATEMENT. A final meeting of the Executive is to be held this morning, when the plan which was discussed last night at mass meetings in the coal valleys will be approved.

Speaking in his constituency at Trimdon (Durham) last night, the Prime Minister said: I am very glad to say that the communication I have had front London to-day over the telephone regarding the South Wales dispute shows Ind there is a very good prospect of a settlement to-morrow or the next day." BUILDING WAGE CUT. The National Joint Council ror tbn building industry, meeting in London yesterday, recommended that a retitle lion of a halfpenny per hour take effect from 1 February, and that negotiations should be resumed between the employers and the opera tives with a view to amending the present agreement or formulating a new one. The Joint Council had before it the Ministry of Labour index figures of the cost of living from January, 1939. to December last. Mr.

J. E. Cooper, aged V. who had been a bell-ringer at Durham Cathedral fdr 48 years, died yesterday. DOLE DISALLOWED.

The chief insurance officer in London has disallowed a claim for unemployment benefit made by a member of the Burnley Weavers' Association, who. acting on instructions of the association, did not resume work on Monday mcrning. It is understood that the Weavers' Association will appeal against the decision. REPLY TO PREMIER. No Repetition of 1926," Say Coal Owners.

The colliery owners of Great Britain last night issued a reply to the Prime Minister's speech at Seaham Harbour on Wednesday night, in which they denied that they refused to be law-, abiding by not recognising the National Industrial Board set up for settling disputes under the new Coal Mines Act. The owners point out that they opposed the proposed Board from the first, and declare that there is nothing in the Act compelling any party to recognise it. The sole excuse fur setting up the Board," says the statement, was the re-establishment of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain as the wagenegotiating body for the whole industry, and In their opposition to this the owners have been moved by a determination that the events of 1926 should not be repeated." Before leaving Durham last night to return to London. Mr. MacDonald replied to the statement of the coalowners.

PREMIER'S DESIRE. In all I said," he told a Gazette reporter, I wanted to be helpful In the present situation. I Bld not say a word that was not helpful, or intended to be helpful. The owners say that they want to prevent a repetition of the events of 1926. So do and that is why I said what I did." RUlllt ISPUTE DECREE.

Beau N. Thursday A settlement of the Labour conflict in the Ruhr mining district by decree of President Hindenburg. under the dictatorship article of the German Constitution, is expected shortly. Cabinet Ministers met to-day and agreed that the only way to avoid a struggle and the threatened lock-out was by means of puck a OUT OF M.P. IN CAGE OF LIONS.

Bravest Man I've Met," Declares Trainer. DARING EXPERIMENT Mr. John S. Clarke, M.P. for Maryhill, Glasgow, who is opposing the Performing Animals Bill, last night made a venturesome experiment in the course of collecting evidence for private circulation among members of Parliament to show that cruelty is not necessary in the training of wild animals.

A big crowd was astonished to see the M.P. enter a cage at a menagerie at Glasgow, in which were two full-grown tigers and two large lions. He was accompanied by the trainer, but was otherwise unprotected. WhUe he was in the cage the animals continually snarled, thrashed out with their paws and bared their fangs. He entered the cage a second time and twice walked from end to end of it.

The trainer said: Mr. Clarke is the bravest man I have met." FADING PROSPECTS OF SKATING. Rising Temperature. Though there were crowds of skaters on the pools in Sutton Park yesterday prospects of getting on the ice in the Birmingham park pools are receding with the gradually rising temperature. Yesterday the remnants of the fog hung reluctantly about, but the breeze was Just sufficient to prevent it marshalling its forces again.

The boom that the darkened atmosphere during the past few days has brought in the demand for gas and electricity was Confirmed on inquiry at the Gas and Electric Supply Departments yesterday. On day of the Big Fog used more cubic feet of gas than it did on the corresponding day last year. On Sunday, the increase was 4,000,000 over 1930; on Monday and Wednesday 5,100,000. The annual field trials of the Sheepy and District Ploughing and Hedgecutting Society, fixed to be held at Moor Barns, Sheepy Magna, hear Atherstone, have been postponed for a week on account of frost. If frost holds skating will be general at Worcester to-day, for several stretches of ice will he available at Bevere, Westwood Pirton, and Spetchley.

FOGBOUND SHIPS. Bus and Hearse Two Injured. Many parts of England, mainly in the Southern districts, were fog-bound yesterday. Among the places affected weri London, Bristol, Cardiff, and Ports- mouth, and in the Channel off the Isle of Wight. Shipping in the Channel was seriously interfered with.

some vessels being at a standstill for many hours. SERVICES CANCELLED. The Portsmouth, Ryde, and Lymlngton, Yarmouth (1.0. services were cancelled owing to the fog. Folkestone, Dover and Newhaven services were nut affected.

Sallingit from Dublin to Liverpool and Glasgow were resumed last night, the weather having improved. London was covered last night with dense fog. TAKEN TO HOSPITAL A motor-hearse (containing a roffinl sand a 'bus collided on the London road near Salisbury. The road was icy. Two 'bus passengers were injured Mrs.

Violet Phillips, of Nether Wallop (who was unconscious), and Mr. Walter Hann, of Broughton (head were taken to Salisbury Infirmary. Both vehicles were damaged, also the coffin, which after being repaired was despatched to 4ondon by train. COMPLETE STATE CONTROL. SYDNEY, Thursday.

The New South Wales Government intends to create an absolute monopoly of transport by wiping out the Railway Commission. Transport Trust and Main Roads Board. A single Commission to be responsible for the whole administration, and a new Cabinet post is being created. MIDLAND COAL STOKE CLUE IN BLAZING CAR MURDER Lorry Driver's Lift to Stranger. NORTH ACCENT.

THE Stoke-on-Trent police are following up what is thought may be a clue in connection with the murder of Miss Evelyn Foster, who was attacked and left in a blazing motor-car on a lonely moor near Otterburn, Northumberland. Mr. W. Dick, a motor-driver, of New-street, Burslem, has reported to the Burslem )lice that while MISS EVELYN FOSTER. driving a motor-lorry near Arend, Cheshire, in the direction of Tunstall, he was stopped by a stranger who answered the description of the man wanted by the police.

The stranger, he states. asked him for a lift in the direction of and Mr. Dick drove him to Tunstall. Mr. Dick describes the man as being Between 35 and 40 years of age, of medium build, clean shaven, well spoken, and wearing a bowler hat, and blue overcoat.

He thought that the man spoke with a North Country accent. WOMEN'S COMPLAINTS. Yesterday the Northumberland police received information regarding two young men who, it is stated, behaved insultingly towards a young woman on the main road Buryness, ten miles from Otterburn, at 4 p.m. on the day of the murder. This spot is about four or five miles from where Miss Foster first met her assailant.

Yet another woman, a Miss ruthers, of Eisdon, a few miles west of Otterburn, has informed the police that at seven o'clock on Tuesday night she was cycling over the bridge at burn and a man stepped her and qulred about the next 'bus to Newcastle. She him. His attitude became rather unpleasant and she rode away In some alarm. It was after seven o'clock that Miss Foster picked up the man on the bridge at Otterburn to take him towards Newcastle. The description given by Miss Carruthers corresponds with that already given by Miss Foster.

She described a man possibly in the thirties, dressed in a dark overcoat and bowler bat. MOTORISTS SEE POLICE. Word reached Scotland Yard last night the three men in a car about whom the Northumberland police issued a broadcast appeal have communicated with the police and proved that mei, know nothing about the murder of Miss Foster. The hunt by the Flying Squad has consequently been called off. The driver of the car who was on the way from Edinburgh to London stated that on Tuesday night he gave two men a lift from Jedburgh as far as Newcastle-onjyne.

The car passed the scene of the crime between eight and nine, and the driver has no recollection of seeing Miss Foster's car or of noticing anything amiss. Another car, of which so far no possible description can be given, is mentioned by several villagers of Otterburn. Some Of them decla re that at 9.30 on tho night of the murder they heard a car speed past their houses on the main road towards Scotland. A DELUSION. The police have also been notified of a car containing two men that called at a Preston garage shortly after 6 a.m.

on Wednesday. The employee, who supplied them petrol, told the Preston police that the men, who seemed tired, both spoke with North Country accents. It Is, hewever, now thought possible that the dying girl, in the moments of I her agony, may have laboured under 'some delusion when she told her fives that the murderer was given a lift by motorists. The pollee are inclined to believe that the crime was the work of who knew the locality and who may still be In the neighbourhood. Continued on Page Seven.

DEADLOCK Died on Wedding Day 70. A 70-year-old widower, Captain Babb, who married a 70-year-old widow, Mrs. Marion Foster, at Bristol Register Office yezlerday, collapsed last night while sitting in his new home with his wife and friends, and died shortly afterwards. TWO BIG GIFTS. Sir T.

Lipton's Cheque at Luncheon. Sir Walter Runciman, the wellknown Tyneside shipowner, has given £25,000 for a Runciman wing in the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle. He gave £50,000 to the same institution last year. Str Thomas Lipton has presented Lord Provost Kelly, of Glasgow, with poor mothers and chlldretu, In memory of hitt mother, whom he described as the guiding star of my life." Sir Thomas wrote out the cheque at a luncheon in London on Wednesday, when the Lord Provost was his guest. RUINED, BUT CHEERY Film Star Who Has Spent £1,500,000.

CHICAGO, Thursday. Mr. Francis X. Bushman, a film star, who was ruined by the debacle in Wall-street last year, cheerfully confessed to-day, after the final performance of the theatrical stock company with which he has been playing: I have spent money like an Emperor and I am broke, but I do not regret it. I have spent between £1,400,000 and 1.900,000 during my career.

Though I am broke I can always earn a living. In a few days' time I am starting on a vaudeville tour. Mr. 13ushmatt, who will be 47 on Saturday. recalled that at the height of his successful film career he drove a luxurious car and smoked no other cigarettes than those with his monogram Mr.

Bushman will probably be best remembered to cinema patrons as Messala, the cruel Boman centurion, In the Ben Hur INDIA Bright Prospects of Satisfactory Report. From Our Political Correspondent. LONDON. Thursday. Indian Princes and statesmen and representatives of the British delegation wound up the debate on the future constitution of the Central Government of India at to-day's session the Federal Structure Committee of the Round Table Conference.

There was such a measure of agreement that the prospects of a satis- factory report appear very hrirht. Lord Sankey indicated that he hoped to have his report ready in time for the committee to consider it on Monday. lie hoped, too. that it would be po4- slble to end the conference on the 19th or 90th of this month. The Press Association adds: Earlier in the day Lord Sankey stated that the Prime Minister would consider all the reports of the committee-i and would make a declaration of the Government's policy and intentions at a plenary meeting of the conference towards the end of next week or the beginning of the week after.

PREMIER'S CONFIDENCE. The Prime Minister, at Trinidon. Durham, last night, said: do nut that there Is the least danger to this country or to the associated Dominions in giving to India those poWers of selfgovernment that, with all the qualitlealions for certain kinds of security that are required, will satisfy it and make it feel that the burdens of its government rest now upon its own shoulders and not upon the shoulders of any uutside body." had workless at I the end of December, FASTER AND TRAVELLING: Commission's Advice on Railways. BETTER ROADS. Tramways Regarded as Obsolete.

From Our Political Oorresposiout. LONDON, Thursday. THE final report of the Royal Commission on Transport, isjed to-day, contains three distinct sets of recommendations. The main report. signed by the whole Commission, deals with the immediate problems of transport misfits.

Among the memoranda are two Important pronouncements on the larger quesdon of future policy. One is submitted by Major H. Crawford. who puts the Liberal case against fussy interference with petitive development and the arbitrary curtailment of useful services for the benefit of the Whitehall idea of NATIONALISATION. The other is signed Jointly by air Robert Donald.

Mr. F. W. Galion and Mr. William Leach, M.P., who A real policy of nationalisation through the purchase of the of the railway companies, of the motor transport services and of 'such canals as may be deemed to be essential parts of a national scheme.

From now onwards the policy o. the State should be directed towards that objective." There is not slightest prospect of any further legislation dealing with the co-ordination of transport receiving attention in the-House of Commons this session or next, even if the Government remain in office. There will therefore be plenty of time for the reconunendations to be examined on their merits before action is taken. A summary of the recommendation of the main Report is: RAILWAYS: Better service needed. Increased speed for short journeys (no increase has been noted during the last 80 years).

Withdrawal of irritating conditions attached to cheap-rate tickets Better accommodation needed. Better grouping of lines. Electriftcation of suburban lines. Clostng of some branch tines. Use of largrr trucks.

ROADS: Ministry of Transport should eon centrate on complete reconstruction or many roads; widening; improvement of functions and lines of sight; eon struction of by-passes, strengthening of bridges; freeing of toll roads and bridges; and progresive recon struction of built-up areas. Strengthening, straiglilening and providing footpaths to roads. Alteration of the incidence of taxa tion. Pneumatic tyres to be made compulsory. with certain exceptions.

Encouragement of use of light motor vehicles; graded increase of duty payable on heavier vehicles; duty on unladen I motor-car envisaged at MD a year. It is considered that motorists are not paying too much towards the annual cost of the highway system, but that the ratepayers; are. Raids on the Road Fund are condenmed. ROAD TRANSPORT; Road hauliers in be licensed al a Charge of 1 per elude. TRAMWAYS: Obsolete and ought to give way to trackless trolley vehteies or motor busez.

CANALS: Some AWL possess considerablf value as means of transport. COASTAL SNIPPING: General efficiency here not denied teasels in a stale of decay. 00-ORDINATION; A pPrrnauenl Advisory Council en Transport should be appointed. Nationalisation, rationalisation, a combination of both of these and the formation of a public trust are examined, but no made on any of them. Malor memorandum indicates OW futility of No pelley which falls Se eensider transport needs and erideovours to restrict the volume of transport to the size of the streets In- stead of improving the shoats In order to take the traffic.

440,000 FEWER FORD CARS. DETROIT. Thursday. The world production of Ford cars during last totalled 1.500.101 compared with 1,949,429 in TO-DAY'S WEATHER. Drizzle.

Frost giving way. BEAUTIFUL GIRL SHOT AND BODY SPIRITED AWAY. Policeman Arrested in U.S. Mystery Crime. HIS LUXURY HOUSE.

WASHINGTON, Thursday. A country-wide sensation has been caused by the mysterious murder of a beautiful girl, followed by the disappearance of her body, and the arrest of a policeman on suspicion of having been concerned in the crime. DEAD IN RED. A 19-year-old divorcee, Beulah Limerick, was found dead in bed, apparently from natural causes. The undertaker, was preparing the body for burial found, however, that she had been murdered.

A bullet wound in tier skull had been concealed by a plug of hair after all bloodstains had been washed away. No sooner had he reported the murder than the body was spirited away from his premises. An inquiry Into the murder has led to the arrest of a policeman who usually patrolled the beat around the girl's home. PRESIDENT'S man It has been discovered that he rented a sumptuous house which contained In addition to a fully-equipped distillery, art extensive arsenal of rifles and revolvers. It is understood that the President has issued a strict order to the chief of the Washington police to sift the mystery to the bottom.

MYSTERY OF A SERVANT. Missing Since 1929: Foul Play Now Suspected. The Surrey police are trying to trace Winifred Parrant, a 20-year-old servant, who has been missing from her home at Albion Cottages, Sandhurst. since August, 1929. Four play is now suspected.

The police describe her as sft. 41n. in height good looking well built good teeth owing to hammer toes walking with a noticeable limp. A search of Virginia Water has been made daily since last Saturday, fol- lowing an alleged statement by a soldier of a regiment stationed in Yorkshire. Police inquiries resulted in reports that she had been seen in London with a boldier a few days after she left home.

She was afterwards been with a woman who, she stated, was her sister. In autumn. 1929, a soldier's uniform, found near Woking, contained several letters, which, the police stated then, had obviously been written by the girl Parrant to a soldier of the let Battalion K.0.Y.1..1. FISHERS' HAUL OF COAL. Thcusands of Tons Being Dumped from Stranded Vessel.

Folkestone fishing-boats rMurned to port yesterday v. ith some good catches There is a scarcity of fish in that part of the Channel at present. but coal is being dumped into the sea at the rate (If many tons an hour from the British steamer Nurtureton. which is aground in a dangerous position off Dungeness. Fifty men are assisting the crepe in Itic task.

Although wurk is going on lily and night, it Is expected that many days will elapse before the whole of the cargo of 11,000 tons has been thrown into the sea, thus rendering it possible fur further attompte to be so toT. steamer off. OCEAN FLIERS' FATE. IiOME. Thursday.

'General the Italian Minister, in a cabled account to Signor Mussolini of the Italian squadron's flight across the Southern Atlantic, says' that during the first six hours at the night the airmen did not see a patch of clear sky. Referring to the accident, in which four nsen were burned to death, the Air Minister says he believes it sva due to a short circuit, which might easily have happened in view of the electric installation for signal lights and wireless. 4 .10. 4: BOY GENIUS TO VISIT BIRMINGHAM. 9 11 1 1 11 1 11 .4 4 Wolfi (Schneiderhan).

the boy violin genius, who is to tour England. including a visit to has arrived in London. Photo shows Wolfi signing autographs yesterday. ON OTHER PAGES. Paw Allataimode for A domedlon Pens a Birmingham Broadcast of Frederica 7 Dull Scholars Defended Dole Fear for 400,000 Finanoe and Markets Lighting-up Time Midland Legacies to Charities Sport Walsall Spending Alarm West Midland Traffic Commissioners Weather Forecast WIRELESS PROORAMMIS Wedding Pictures.