AUSTRALIAN STRIKES.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16147, 27 February 1918, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN STRIKES.

COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY. (By Cable,—Preß3 Association.—Copyright} (Received February 2Gth, 10.20 p.m.) SYDNEY, February 2G. The Assistant-Treasurer states that the Government hopes to provide £13,000 to pay tho raihvaymen who were dismissed as a result of the lata strike their refunds of superannuation payments. Judge Curlewis has opened a Royal Commission of Enquiry into tho card system which was introducod by xhe Railway Commissioners, and which was ostensibly the cause of the big strike. The solicitor for tho Railway Commissioners gave evidence that though it was in operation for only a few months tho system had resulted in a largo saving of working expenses. He denied that there was any intention that the sj-stem shoukl ponalise the workmen. Tho Chief Commiss oner gave evidence j that between 5000 and 6000 railwaymen had gone to tho war. Many of theso had not been replaced, yet the 6ame amount ol work was being dono, under more cffoctive methods. If the men camo back they would replace the casual labour. Asked if there had boen no war what would have been done with the surplus labour, the Chief Commissioner replied that the non-filling cf resignations and I dismissals would have given tho same ra.Hilt. | I