GREAT RAILWAY STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1620, 11 December 1912, Page 7

GREAT RAILWAY STRIKE.

6000 MEN OUT. SERIOUS DEVELOPMENTS IN BRITAIN. CASE OF A REDUCED DRIVER. By Telesrarh—Press Association— Copyrleht (Rec. December 11, 0.15 a.m.) London, December 10. Six thousand railwaymen are now on strike. Eighty vessels are waiting in the Tyne, and the majority are unable to obtain cargoes. Meetings of the North-Eastern Railway Company's employees at Stockton, Sunderland, and York resolved to defer a decision as to striking, but meetings at Blyth, .Hexham, and Hartlepool supported the strike. The manager has offered to re-instate Knox, the . dismissed driver, at the earliest moment consistent with safety to the public. The company is issuing summonses, claiming damages against tie men for leaving work without giving notice.. UNREST ON MIDLAND SYSTEM. COMPANY DISMISSES STRIKERS. •London, December 9. Meetings of railwaymen at Hull, Sunderland, York, and Darlington refused to support the strike, though th© NorthEastern Society is recognised by the Amalgamated Society. The North-Eastern, Railway Company has given notice that the 3500 strikers have been dismissed, and has asked for the return of the uniforms and equipment of the strikers. There is unrest amongst the Midland railwaymen, who are alleging victimisation of union leaders. Twelve hundred of the Tyne dockers have struck in sympathy with the railway men. The coal trade is held up and ' much shipping is idle. . The railway men have appealed to the Amalgamated Union to declare a national strike. ORIGIN OF THE STRIKE. DRIVERS AND DRUNKENNESS. London, December 9. Knox, the engine-driver, over whose case the strike was brought about, was disorderly on a, traiji-'car, and assaulted the police. The company did not dismiss him, because he had been a driver for twentytwo years, but, instead, reduced him to the position of .pilot driver, with wages 9s. less than he was receiving. , The North-Eastern Company's manager states that it is . necessary to protect the public, as the company would have no answer if; there was an accident after a .man. had been convicted for drunkenness. ■ ■ . He recalls that, the Board, of Trade in a recent report on.a Darlington accident described drunkenness, even when off duty, as an unpardonable offence for an engine-driver. The company is willing to reinstate Knox after a probationary period. The strikers doubt Knox's guilt, and arguo that in any case his conduct when off duty was not the company's business.