EMERGENCY SERVICES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1705, 24 March 1913, Page 7

EMERGENCY SERVICES.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Sydney, March 22. It is estimated that the services hung up yesterday owing to . the ferry striko carry forty-five thousand people on a publio holiday. North Sydney is the suburb most seriously inconvenienced. Tho pinch was felt badly this morning, when hundreds were blocked from reaching their employment by the usual routes. The reason tho Manly men did not join the strike yesterday is that they aro members of a different union, and were not informed of tho strike until large numbers had been carried to that seaside i'esort. They were prepared to come out at noon, but were influenced by the appeal of the company's officials, and agreed to see the holiday-makers back home. According to present intentions they join tho striko to-day. The whole of the ferry services will then be stopped. A special meeting of Cabinet was called for this morning, to consider the situation. The Premier (Mr. M'Gowen) declined to make a statement of tho Government's intentions till the meeting is over. . The manager of the Sydney Ferry Company states .'that the men's claims aggregate an extra cost of ,£20,(100 to that company alone. ,

Some of the distant river suburbs have organised, scratch servioes, but they only partially meet the inconvenience, j Besides holiday-makers, many policemen, tramwaymen, and others compelled to. work on holidays were stuck up, and were hours bjhind -time in:getting'to their posts. The harbour presented an unusual spectacle, flotillas of small craft.of all orders plying across ths usual ferry routes at a charge of starting at half a crown 1 upwards. This gradually fell-to sixpence. Some who were early informed of tho trouble. seeurc-d as many boats and launches as possible before the proprietors were aware of the tic-up, and made'" a good scoop plying for hire. There were a few accidents, but not serious, in the scramble among the miscellaneous, fleet. There was a tremendous rush for telephones by marooned picnickers, the offico j being besieged throughout the day. - Many -residents of North Shore are making a roundabout journey to the city via Hornsby. As far- as possible the tramway department is relieving tho pressure by improved services to those suburbs which can be reached.by tram. .- 1 The Firemen and Deckhands' Union is primarily responsible for the strike, but they had tho support of the masters and engineers. The men are determined-and insistent in their demands.