MELBOURNE PARALYSED BY INDUSTRIAL CRISIS

Chronicle (Levin), 15 April 1947, Page 6

MELBOURNE PARALYSED BY INDUSTRIAL CRISIS

MELBOURNE, April 14. All suburban r ail way servicqs- ceased at midnight last night. on the direction of the btate Raiiways Oommissioners. This is the iatest result of tne motai trades crisis whieh has kept many fouudries idle for -the jtast live montns and has graduuily paralysod Melbournc power services and city and country transport. Axier union leaders deeided, to withdraw some of the engineers in the Newport xjower house and also refused tu supply power to.suburbau trains , from Tuesday, the coiumissioners ' announcement was made on the cessation of ser vices. Melbourne suburban raiiways carry 750, 0UU people a day, including 350;UUu through the Flinders Btreet . station, whicli is claimed to be the busiest in the world. During the weekend the Cabinet de cided to convene the State Parliamen. on April 22, 'a week hefore the expectedate, because of the seriousness of th. general situation. i A country tfain service will continue on a shortened schedule. The develoinnents result from a con certed attack by the Amalgamated En gineering Union, the Ironworkers Union, and the Eederated Enginedriv ers' and Firemen's Association on power an,d transjjort facilities. The Premier (Mr. Cain) said that tln engineers had acted unwisely in re jecting the recommendation of the Aus tralasiau Council of Trade Unions no to extend the metal dispute. Tliey lia« a strong claim for iucreased wage mai gins, but the only sensible way the 'dis pute could .be settled was by the men returuing to work so that the Arbitra tion Court could hear their case. The only bright spot yesterday wa. wheu a mass meeting of tramwaynuj] rejected a motion by the uniop execu tive that trams should be mauued onl, on certain conditions. Tram services, however, are menacei by a strike of maintenance men.