SYDNEY STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1706, 25 March 1913, Page 5

SYDNEY STRIKE.

FERRIES STILL IDLE.

STATE RUNNING MAKESHIFT SERVICE, A FRUITLESS CONFER ENCE. By- Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright (Rec. March 24,'9.80.' p.m.) .Sydnej;,' 'March 24. Tho ferries strike remains unsettled. To-day's .developments .chiefly centred round the Government's attitude towards making better provision to meet tho public convenience than tho present emergency service?. / After .representatives of the companies had interviewed Mr. Carmicliael, they pre-' sented a joint'letter pointing out the inadequacy of the existing provisions when tho regular business demands arose tomorrow, and'suggesting that tlifl Government should mnkb to provide suitable..laboiir to man their boats.

The companies .offered, in view.of. necessity.for prompt.action,:to.meet'the situation, to .pay fifty , per cent, over the. present rate of wages, pending' the decision of the Wages Hoard, such. i.vicreaso_ not to be considered j a fair • wage, f but a compensation ,for special The men so employed .would:not be'tiiose.on strike. . Mr. Carmichael.replied'"that the letter was/practically : the ;sanj.e as, the compan-ies'.-previous offer, arid-, asked that the Government "should employ' its own men doiug work ; for - the / benefit of the. compa'nies. They; had-too business to come ;vrid osk hiiA'to tako the companies' side. If .they were;prepa-'red to'hand over'tho .boats, ' the-Government would work them ' for: tho benefit of t'no, public, and' tho' Government would consider'the,proposal..Tho facts did not warrant the conclusion that thp Government/was unable.to meet tlio publicwants. 'So-far/they had'used only, part of'tho avalilable steamers, but tomorrow i„they*irould;put on.the 1 rest,, and if they -were' insufficiesnt, -would' tiike other steps. . If . tho ..companies would :'Snd the boats, 'he would .find ' and so keep clear of-the 'dispute. !For!; the:present he. would: utilise. Qovenimmit servants to 'work: tho- steamen-s,lhnt 1 lie' would .give no i assurance ;ho 'would • not employ

strikers. > -The .directors, - after considering the: Te- ■ ply, l informed -Mr' Carmichael that they .were inot .prepared ' to .'hand. 'the 'vessels ' oyer 'to' the.Goveimment "without a stipulation thifc they.would ndt employ strikers.. Mr,'Carmichael.declined to'accept tho stipulation. INADEQUATE SERVICES. YESTERDAY'S! HOLIDAY '-TRAFFIC. '(Rec.Mai:ch ; 24,: 10.35. p.m.) 'Sidney, March '24. ' Though Considerably increased land it lie. sendees extended, to-day, that ; tlio present ferry arrangements > aro . inadequate 'to meet; the,public-demands, at least, so far as IJorUi t Sydney and i Cremorno are- concerned. " ■ ' During'the holiday'rush-to the show and.races in'the morning, and on'returning at' night," dense crowds; packed the wharves at both ends,"arid there was much scrambling'ahdipushing, so that l the detachments, of ..police;had difficult work to regulate the embarking, aiul disembarking. aAlany vonien:ainl bhildren had-a rough time,'and were almost suffocated, in the crush. . 1 With, the assistance of free labour and allegedly of * four.'deserters from' the 'strikers' nanks, tho Manly Company got a limited servicevgoing in the afternoon. A big crowd of ■-strikers .-'gathered on the J wharf and hooted: and groaned at tho scratch .crews and the, passengers. -The police escorted the'.passengers. The Balmain' Comjtany raised the siege and relieved tho marooned Lane i Cove River residents with ;two steamers, one manned' by tho directors of. the company. The bulk ,of • the . Manly visitors wero compelled; to 'make".the; journey ■ overland via tho Spit,: thereby adding to the pressure tof .the Government's -North Sydney traffic.

'Private launches-and boats '-were- a gain, out in. force.-andwere well patronised. '-The strikers held several; meetings. Tho advlco of the speakers'-to stand firm was loudly cheered. "The Government's"' socalled "shandygaff"- ssrvice- aud their- action generally in 1 dealing' with labour matters were caustically, criticised. FREE LABOUR SOUGHT. ; OFFER BY THE STRIKERS. ■ ' Sydney, March '24. Altogether about-450 rtieiii are.involved in the harbour, ferries. 'A good proportion of-the'strikers aro youthful deck hands, and it is to them: that-the,precipitato action is .mainly-attributed., The men- continue to show ft'most-determined front. . Tho ■ companies, who up '■ to.yesterday took no steps' to' fl.ll- the: vacancies, to-day are advertising.for free.labour,: Amongst the suggestions to overcome the block of . traffic , is the building of a .pontoon • bridge'to'North• Sydney, calculated to Ire constructed: in'twenty-four 1 hours. The strike-lias also given- a strong fillip to, the agitation for. a-bridge connecting JSor ; th" Sydney. The Government " has pressed two Newcastle'tugs fiito the ferry service. The supply of: labour to man- all the vessels tho Government is' likely :to utilise' has been assured.'

Strikers have offered their services also, and assert- they arc- willing to re-man tho companies vessels if- one point, tlie''fortyeight hour -week,' is conceded. Mr. Carmichacl, Minister. for Labour, .in replying. to. tho. companies' request to ,provide -hands, : pointed out that their .expectations of -resuming - were ! based- on ■2 lie assumption that tho -Government irotild'direct its-eight-hour'employees ; to u ork'ten'.hours,. for doing which , the comli allies wero attacked. the companies ample, protection in ' the event oi ■ their starting the boats. ; The. krike leaders deprccato sympathy strikes. They sUite that tho'fight is going to: bo won or: lost by'themselves and tlj e masters and engineers, relying on, tlic worthiness of'tho cause. They donot desire the Manly men, who' aro under a •different agreement, to come out. IMr. Carinichael diplomaticully fenced ■a nuestion as to'whether-tho Government we/; nld prosecute' tho men for striking. 1 'lie Royal Show (receipts for tho four day s wero .E550 below last; year. Tho fen -T strike was responsible. The attendance ) at: tho races was similarly affected, thou:gh between forty and fifty thousand were present.