STRIKE SPREADING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1719, 9 April 1913, Page 7

STRIKE SPREADING.

ENGINES WITHOUT FUEL. GENERAL DISLOCATION OF TRAIN SERVICES. ' UNION SECRETARY RETIRES. By Telecraoli—Press Ajsoolation—OoDrrieht (Kec. April 8, 10 p.m.) Sydney, April 8. Though there has been no serious extension of the strike so far, several significant developments have occurred. Sixty fuelmen employed in supplying engine tenders with coal at Eveloigh have struck, and tho place is picketed. Tho first gang of 20. men left without explanation, and two other gangs arriving later did not start work. Two men only remained working, and they are unable to keep up the supply uf coal for the engines, which are piling up in the yards. The full effect of the development will not be felt till to-morrow, as most of tho engines on the night runs have had their tenders well coaled. Another mass meeting of the Railwaymen's Association was held to-day. Mr. Catts, the secretary of tho association, strongly urged the men to accept tho Government's offer, which by his efforts was kept open till noon. He declared that the strikers had compelled the Government to' grant them a tribunal exceeding in power any previously available under industrial legislation. Amid muclrexcitement a show of hands was taken, resulting in tho Government's offer again being rejected. Mr. Catts demanded a ballot, ■ and this resulted similarly. Mr. CattS thereupon intimated that he would not attend future meetings in connection with the strike, but would be with them in spirit. He then left the meeting. During the day the Railway Commissioner issued a notification that unless the Darling Harbour goods porters, resume work before nine o'clock to-morrow morning, they will ba ineligible for reemployment. The feature of to-day's meeting of tho railwayman .was the hostility towards Mr. Catts. It is alleged that the men have become suspicious of his motives, and charge him with acting from personal motives rather than.in tho interests of the men. The daily produce and firewood sales have been practically suspended. Though largo quantities are standing in tho trucks, and are also in . transit, littlo is available. At some stations the held-up goods include, truck-loads of decaying vegetables and rabbits, which are making their presence offensively evident. Prices so far have been littlo affected, though there is some excitement in'tho wheat market. Millers who aro unable t? take delivery of grain ras prepared to give higher prices to keep the mills going till the trouble is over, but local supplies nl '- n °t large and holders are disinclined to sell. Storekeepers in country towns are arranging for supplies by steamers and teams. The Premier, Mr. M'Gowen, owing to the strike, has cancelled his proposed visit to Albury -to-morrow. A meeting of the platform porters at the Station adopted tho exeeu- ' tive's recommendation to handle only milk and newspapers, aud all other goods have been left in tho vans. Outward parcels aw placed aboard the trains by the consignors. At the Darling Harbour yards, the twelve shunters and others who remained loyal wero yesterday engaged in getting away a few trucks of goods, but to-day after a protest- by some of the guards they confined their work to side-tracking the arriving trucks, with which the yards aro packed. The consignees themselves are doing the unloading. V ' A CRISIS TO-DAY. MANY WILD RUMOURS CURRENT. (Rec. April 9, 0.10 a.n;.* Sydney, April 8. The action of the railway fuel men in stHking is already severely felt. Many engines have run short of coal and are unable to continue running. Passengertraffic at the Central Station is badly disorganised. • Tho engine-drivers and stokers' refused to handle fuel, and as the empty engines arrived they were put out of commission. T'lio city crowds, on returning from business, found that numbers of trains' had boon cancelled or greatly delayed, and notices to this effect were posted. Rumours are current that the whole service will bo stopped nnd have caused a great rush on the trains. There is" every indication that a crisis will be reached,to-morrow. Unless somo method is evolved of replenishing tho fuel of the engines tho whole service' must stop. Many wild rumours are current as to the extension of the strike. The men are holding continuous meetings, and their decisions, if any, are not divulged. ... Heavy rain is interfering with tho news from other strike centres. EMPLOYERS IN PROTEST. GOVERNMENT CALLED ON TO ACT FIRMLY. (Rec. April 8, 0.10 p.m.) Sydney, April 8. Yesterday's meeting of employers adopted a, resolution that in view of tho general dislocation, of industrial affairs through tho continuous strikes, the Ministry, us responsible for tho welfare of tho community, should take steps, without regard to either side, to oompel immediate compliance with tho law as it stands on tho Statute Books of the country. ' The president of the Federation pointed out that there had been nine strikes in 32 days. As employers they had cheerfully submitted to the principle of arbitration, but a spirit, of equity had not been shown by tho employees. Tho patience and tolerance of tho Government nnd tho wholo community was exhausted. The Government should exhaust every reasonable means for industrial peace, but it looked as if the more coaxing and pandering the men got the more they looked upon suoh proceedings as a sign of weakness. Tho Government must be fair to the public, which was suffering at the hands of a few men. He asked the Government to cease trying to please the men. Sir William MacMillan stated tlmt the arbitration laws had been forced on tho country by the class represented by tho Government, and the employers, for tho safes of peace, had agreed to these laws. The Government had made laws which made the men criminals if they struck. He urged the Government to recognise tho necessity of showing firm action to- < wards law-breakers. • I The Premier, Mr. M'Gowen, defended j Ihe Arbitral ion Act, nnd said flint though it had not done what he and other advocatiw r-\]K'e(e<!. thousands were reaping 1 its benefit". The Government would not ! sit in judgment on the present difficulty, but would hold the scales of Justice j fairly. Tho Government had exhausted.! i

every means to get tho strikers to return, ' Tho strike would have been (settled yesterday evening if tlie Government had foregone its rights to prosecute tho strikers. It was evident that tho employers thought the Government regarded ono sido moro than the other. If that was tho opinion of tho country, ho and his col-i 1 leagues ought never to bo Ministers again. If tho Go'-ernmeiit failed in its efforts to .secure it wauld have to proceed according tg the laws of tho country. TWO CONDITIONS REJECTED. I STItIKEES ENTHUSIASTIC. Sydney, April 8. At tho conference between the Govern- . inent and tho railway strikers' reprcsen- . tative.s, live of the conditions attached by tho men for acceptance of the Gov- . crnment's offer of a Royal Commission ) ivero agreed to, with slight 'modifications'," > but tho Government definitely' 'rejfected" . two of tho conditKins—namely,' that 110 r prcsecutions should bo instituted" and • that the finding of the Commission be rc- > trospectivc from the dato of resumption . of work, Mr. Johnson, Chief Conmiis- . sioner of Railways, declined'absolutely to 1 agree to tho award being retrospective. 3 Tho men's representatives suggested that : the Government should assume-the .re-. sppnsibility of making tho award retro- . spectivo and reimburse the Railway Com- . missioncr from the Consolidated Revenue, t but the Government refused^ j The Government's rejection of :the'cons ditions relating to prosecutions and a retrospective award proved tv stumbling- . block to a settlement of the railway , trouble. . When the men's representatives..,,re- . turned and announced this rejection to . a mass meeting, considerable feeling was r shown. One of tho men's representatives | said that Mr. Johnson would issue ah 1 ultimatum to-day, inviting every man . back, and that anyone refusing would lose all privileges, and even his billet. One striker, during a speech, said they had seen a Royal Commission in connection -with tho Newcnstlo strike, and 110- . tiling camo of it; they hud seen the Southern Miners' Royal Commission, and . after six months the men had 110 alternative but to strike. They had also seen a Royal Commission 011 the British railways, regarding which an English M.P. had told them that tWinon; -had, not gained 5 per cent, in"- wages. , " I 'Royal Commissions were a failure so far as the workers were concerned. The majority at a show-of -hands was so large against the Government's proposals that no division . .was,called for. Tho men decidcd to mect,,lorday'.'. It is stated that it is probable the strike will spread to the, whole, of' NewSouth Wales so far as, goods traffic is concerned, Great enthusiasm was displayed throughout the meeting. Tho strikers declaro that they are not desirous of injterfering with the passenger traffic, and do not wish to inconvenience tho putlic,' but that guards and shunters are only awaiting tho word to come out.' : Mr. Carmichael, Minister for Labour, in an interview, said: "We went to tho furthest limit in order to assist the men. Mr. Johnson, the Railway Commissioner, in deference to our wishes, has not proceeded to fill the strikers' places, but to-day ho proposes to take steps to restore traffic." . Mr. Carmichael added that Mr. Johnsoil was in the same position as any other employer so far as-the''Government was concerned, and tho Government had no control over him in this direction. Mr. Catts, general' secretary to the strikers' uniop, remarked; "Tho public, will now see who can last the longest. Although the Government's amended proposals do not go as far as they ought, I advised the men to accept them, but they declined to do so." The Victorian Railway Men's Union offered financial aid to the Sydney men, but Mr. Catts replied that if the dispute was settled shortly no help would be required. ■ ' The award of the Railway Traffic Board will be published in a day or two. It is believed it will give porters ,Bs. a, day 011 commencing, Bs. Cd. a day after twelve months' service, and 9s. after two years'. It is anticipated that these ' will make a difference in the -, strike situation. 1 ~" COLLIERY DISPUTE. " MINERS' ATTITUDE. Sydney, April 8. The Executive of the Northern Colliery Employees' Federation, in reply to the proprietors' proposals . regarding; tho Lambton B and Stockdalo borehole, say they are quite prepared 'to accept a tribunal comprising representatives of each side, with an independent chairman, and allow resumption of work there simultaneously with the opening uf proceedings beforo the Wngos Boards, 011 tho understanding that (hoi awards shall bo retrospective from timo of resumption; but they will not agree to any method of settlement which does not give tho federation equal rights with the proprietors. They decline to take a. ballot, on the owners' proposal for local arbitration, stating that tlicy know tlie' minds of tho men sufficiently to enable th'ein to answer for them, i ' SOUTH COAST COAL STRIKE. FOURTH WEEK. BEGUN. ■ ' Sydney, April 8. The fourth week of tho South Coast miners stnke has begun. There is no prospect of a settlement. Dissatisfaction is felt at Bulli owing to tho conference which Mr. Carmichael convened for Friday last not being held. It is reported that tho Bulli miners have decided that if Mr. Carmichaol gives a second invitation they will send a delegate on their own account to interview him. ' The ultimatum of the proprietors has had a depressing effect oir Bulli, •• CARTERS RESTLESS. Sydney, April 8. Discontent is being manifested among tho milk, and ico carters in ;Sydney. ■No particulars aro forthcoming regarding'tho reason,