RAIL STRIKE COLLAPSES

Chronicle (Levin), 5 April 1948, Page 3

RAIL STRIKE COLLAPSES

-Reuter

Last BJg Stronghold Agrees ToReturn

(N.Z.PA.-

, Copyrtght)

Received Sunday, 10.35 p.m. ' BRISBANE, April 4. The raiiway workers at Townsville today adopted the recomniendation of the disputes committee to return to work. . Townsville was the last big rail centre in Queensland to deal with the recommendation for the resumption of work, and the central disputes committee will probably fix the date tomorrow for resumption. Striking railwayiuen at Brisbane and Ipswich on. Friday accepted a recommendation by the disputes committee to return to work. The Premier (Mr. Hanlon) announced that the state of emergency declared on February 27 would be declared off as soon as gas and electricity rationing could be lifted in country districts. Rowe Now Lodged in Gaol. The leading Commnnist, E. , J, Kowe, who was sentenced and fLned fpr gross contempt of Court on March 25 and who has been'in hiding since, is now in Brisbane' gaol. He was arrested at the Trades-Hall on Friday when he appeared in a taxi accompanied by two women to address a mass meeting of striking railwaymen. Rowe claimed that since the sentence he had travelled quite openly to Ipswich and addressed meetings and had flown to Sydney for talks and had returned to Brisbane, without any attempt at seerecy, to address further meetings. Soon after his appearance at the Trades Hall more than 20 police arrived and arrested him. Before this, Rowe told reporters: "I am now submitting to voluntary arrest because I think the original intention behind my arrest has failed. I could earry on evading the police, but I think it would serve no useful purpoae." The police removed Rowe by a rear door to avoid a possible demonstration by unionists. Loss of Trade and Revenue. The Queensland rail strike had cost the State £20,000,000, said the secretary of the Queensland Employers' Federation (Mr. P. J. Sels). He believed it would take Queensland between six and 12 months to recover. The £20,000,000 eost included loss of trade and loss of raiiway revenue. Experts es'timate it will take the railwaymen about two years to make up in marginal increases — which the Government offered them six weeks ago — the amount lost in wages. The strike has been one of the most disastrous in Queensland 's industrial history. The Premier said it was a pity that so much time and money had been wasted. He added that the whole thing could have been settled by thp Industrial Court without the loss of a day's pay. '