RAILWAY STRIKE

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1720, 10 April 1913, Page 7

RAILWAY STRIKE

ENDS.

THE MEN JUBILANT.

COMMISSION OF INQUIRY ACCEPTED. WORK TO BEGIN AT ONCE. By Teleeraoh -Prre« Association—OoDjrrkht (Ecc. April 9, 8 p.m.) Sydney, April 9. Tho railway strike is over. The men have accepted the Government's offer to appoint a Royal Commission, with somo modification, and with a proviso that there is to be no victimisation. Work is to ho resumed forthwith. Tha mass meeting of tho strikers which carried acceptance of the Royal Commission lasted three hours. After conferring with Mr. Carmiehael, Minister for Labour, ! and obtaining certain modifications of the terms of tho Commission, Mr. Catts, secretary of tho union, and several members of tho Labour Council, addressed the meeting, and strongly advocated the adoption of the terms. The carrying of the resolution accepting the amended terms was marked by an enthusiastic demonstration. The modifications which turned the scale were 'that the conditions of labour about the railway goods sheds should be dealt -with | prior to these subjects being covered by j the Commission, and that there shoulc. be no victimisation. .All parties are gratified at .the settlement. The: men's leaders claim that tho nihvaymen havo demonstrated their unity, solidarity, and strength, and have impressed the public with their grievances, while they havo obtained from the Government a constitutional means for the ventilation and' remedy of grievances which had been denied them by the Arbitration Court. Out of seven hundred strikers, the men's leaders .state that there were only half a dozen defections. In other quarters it is. stated that there were signs of wavering. A number of the strikers had resumed duty this morning, and failing acceptance of the Commission tho strike, it is declared, would havo broken down. Tlie men will resume work on regular shifts, but it will be Friday before the goods service will be properly restored. The terms of reference of the Commission (lovers an inquiry into the operalion and effect of industrial awards upon the 'whole railway service, and provides that in the event of the oonviction of the employees, by the Arbitration Cgurt for striking, such convictions shall not justify dismissals. PREPARING FOR GAOL. i —— .OFFICIALS IN RELAYS. , Sydney, April 9. Tho striking shunters havo called out all tho shunters in tho metropolitan area. • A duplicate strike committee has been appointed to replace the present in the event of tho latter being sent \to gaol. ,It has been decided also that if tho duplicate committee is arrested' another set' is to b9 appointed. . The Railway Workers and Oenoral Labourers' Union, to: which belong tho strik- | the-coal 'staging, favours the resumption of work. The executive of that union lias'passed a'resolution to the effect that the "wages" board system should bo remodelled, the chairman being not allowed to. sit on moro than ono board. All awards, it is urged, should.be retrospective from the date of the filing of claims, sinco undue delay in Teaching finality is the cause of the present unrest in New South Wales, and.' tends to bring arbitration into the disfavour of the workers. 'Mr. Carmichael, Minister for Labour, states that a Royal Commission will still be appointed, there being many industrial matters requiring 1 inquiry. The executive of the Labour Council has been informed that Mr. Johnson, Chief Railway Commissioner, has extended the time for the resumption of work from 9 o'clock this morning to 2 this af- i ternoon, with a view to enabling tho exeeutivo to influence to-day's meeting of strikers. Mr. Johnson denies that tho extension, reported authoritatively, is the result of a meeting of the council and tho Railway and Tramway "Unions. Locomotive drivers, passenger- guards, and porters continue to work. The secretary of the Trolly, Draymen, and Carters' Union recommends members to remain neutral. Ho considers it would bo Sheer ! madness to join the strike. He believes it will be a big proposition to get members to agree with this view. BARRIER STRIKE. SIXTEEN HUNDRED. MEN IDLE. , (Rec. April 10, 0.20 a.m.) Sydney, April 9. The Barrier strike position has become more accentuated. The South Mine has closed,, 'and a thousand men ore idlo, malting in all 1600 miners idle, besides a considerable number of men in connection with the smelting, works at Port Pirio.■ The Citizens' Committeo has derided to make a renewed and urgent request to the Premier, Mr. M'Gowen, to take over and run tho Silverton trams. Adelaide, April 9. The Government has already lost several thousands of pounds owing to tho interference • with goods traffic between Port Pirie and Broken Hill. Tho traffic consists principally of the carriage of oro. Coal at Broken Hill is daily becoming scarcer.