RAILWAYMEN STAY OUT

Chronicle (Levin), 2 March 1948, Page 5

RAILWAYMEN STAY OUT

(N.Z.P.A.-

— Reuler

Some Trains Run hy Non-strikers

CoMuright)

Keceived Monday, 8.30 p.nu BRhSIUXE, Mai'. 1. The great majoi'ity of.BTisbane railwaymen strikers today deficc, the ({ovei'iuuent ordei' to retui'n to work today or be dismissecl. Only six ]>assenger trains rau 011 suhurban lines, all inanned by nonstrikers who were stood down when the maintenance nien stopped work a month ago. - The first passenger train to run in Brisbane since tho strike earried strikers to the Ipswieh railway workshops where large stiuads oi' poi ice ensured that the handl'ul of nien who entered the majn gates did so unniolested. Long- bet'ore starting tinie strikers lined- the routes to the work-

1 shops. Intlannnatoiy placards wero thrown away following , poliee instruelions. About 3000 sli'ikei's then held a ineeting outside al'ter which about 30 luported for work. About 5000 othei* railwaymen who had been stood down reported for woi'k and are doing odd jobs about the vards and stations. Despite interference hy .100 strikers i einforeed by women and leading ('onnminists, over °50 per cont. of tlio xtriking ti'amwaymen retui'iied 1o woi-k at the niain workshops. The.nearest thing to a riot oe•curred when 50 mcn led by riir. b\ Paterson, ( "oninuinist Member oi ) Ihe State (lovcrnnient, refused to eomply with poliee requests to move l'rom outside the tram dejiot. The Rail ( ■ommissioner said the response to Mr.- llnn]bn 's haek tu work ordei- had been poor.

Emergcncv trains are ruiiuiiig" and lour pianes aiv freigliting eight tims oi food daily nortli from Brisbane. All the Queensland newspapers and radio stations lui-ve been warned by the )olice that tliey are liable to a liii-e of M00 if tliey publish or eirculatq stateuents which may be construed as in•iting the workers to refrain from re- . urijing to work. The Poliee ('ommissioner (Mr. C. J. .'arrollj lias found it ireeessary to issue i special warning to the Brisbane news- 1 oom of the Australian Broadeasting 'ommission that a statement broadast. in the news session.uas a breaqh f the (foverninent (Jrder-in-('ouiicil. L'he commisisoner told the otlicer in hai'ge that, if tliere was a repetition > :f the oil'ence, action would In-. taken .nder th-e regulations. The broadcast item was a statemenl ssued by the combiiied Ruilwavs nion disjmtes committee in which the lovernment was deseribed as Fascist.