RAILWAY STRIKE.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 889, 12 May 1903, Page 2

RAILWAY STRIKE.

SPEECH 1 nv VICTORIAN PREMIER. By Telegraph—l’ress AssociationCopyright. M ELBt >L’K.\ K. May 11. At l in- .Mayor's banquet, ihe I'n--111.01" Salll. OUIUC V.isil ili ILTi 11 . lilt.' ei.mmunity wi>uiii ne.t r allow i!: • control oi its property to pass into liie iiamis of any section of the community whatever, atnl they would never hand down to their children a heritage of .surrender and misgovernmeal. The Secretary of the Knginedrivers and I'll 'email ,s Assoei.nion state-, that out of between thirteen and fourteen hundred members not more than fifteen remain in ihe service. No trains Were run yesterday.

The (iovernmenl are confident of getting a belter service to work today. The State has received numerous offers of assistance, and the Government intend to run the Mel- - express to-day at any cos l.

THAI N-WRKCK If US AT WORK. liy Telegraph—Press AssociationCopyright. MELBOURNE, .May 11. Several attempts to block trains are reported. Near Mootiee Ponds, a heavy rail was placed across the line, and it is alleged that this was the cause of the engine leaving the rails. At Port .Melbourne, there was interference with the points. The derailment of the engine at Seymour was due to a similar cause. The goods-shed at the Spencer street station is strongly guarded i>\ police. Already (he shipping is beginning to feel the effects. There lias been a rush for berthing accommodation and more vessels will be put on. Delay is being caused in the handling of cargo, owing to the want of railway facilities. The real pinch of the position will not be fell for a lew days. Large linns are taking steps to reduce their hands as a result of the slackness of business, and it is expected that, before the end of the week several thousand employees will be thrown idle.

The Argus says the strikers have underestimated the steady, determined, unllinching front which the community will oppose to tile attempted dictation of a small minority. The autocratic Governments of Kurope have a short way of dealing with these cases. The strength of democratic Government in such an emergency has now to lie tested.

All the leading inter-,State newspapers publish leaders condemnatory of the men’s action, and consider they have been badly advised, and that the blunder must end in lasting defeat. Later.—The victims of Ihe North Melbourne scrimmage were the driver and firemen of the Knruinlnirra train. They were hooted and hustled, and crowds of strikers tried to coerce litem to leave their work. The driver refused, and was knocked down and roughly handled as he made his way through the crowd. Sympathisers’ efforts were more .successful with the fireman, who joined the strikers. Two arrests were made. A. few other isolated instances tire reported where violent coercion or threats were used, chiefly from strikers’ sympathisers, and men were prevented going to work. Passengers by the express lo Ade-

laide, amongst whom was Mr Kingston, had an unpleasant experience The train was left stranded across tlm po'ints at Slawell. Inspeclot Leslie, as driver, and Clark, as lire man, look charge alter the break-

down. .A. Jons delay occurred at Glenorchy. Another engine was procured, hut, it was not sufficiently powerful. Greased lines on the gradients also impeded the progress of the train, which arrived eleven hours late. The strikers participate in a levy on the railway men. The; other Slates alone yield two thousand pounds weekly. MAIL ARRANGEMENTS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyrigh* Received 11.86 p.m., May 11. Sydney, May 11.

Arrangements are complete for forwarding the mails to and from Melbourne by steamer until the through train service is again assured. The Dumber to-day took large consignments, including English mails. These will be shipped by the Oratava, which lias been detained in Melbourne till Wednesday. Saturday’s Melbourne mail arrived by steamer to-day. The English mail by the Rome is coming on from Melbourne, and reaches Sydney two days late. Tho first direct effect of the strike in New South Wales has been felt at Albury. All casual railway hands there have been discharged.

STRIKE ARRANGEMENTS. MATTERS QUIET. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Received 11.36 p.m., May 11. Melbourne, May 10.

Strike affairs are quiet. Both sides are . settling down to a grim battle. The 1 Department did not attempt much to-day, owing to fewer drivers being arailablo than on Saturday. They confined the suburban trains to a modified service on a few lines, but despatched with reasonable regularity. A welcome feature of the day was the despatch of trains to Ballarat, Bendigo, Warrigal, and Albury. There wore fourteen passengers on the latter, while the others were only sparingly patronised. Government have made arrangements for men running the trains to sleep and have their meals in the Spencer street sheds, and so preclude the necessity of running the gauntlet of the crowd outside. The sheds are strongly guarded by police, who keep the approaches clear. It is reported that the strikers have been advised from America that JE20,000 are available if required. The Engineers’ Executive has received hundreds of sympathetic telegrams from all parts of Australia, New Zealand, and elsewhere. They assert their members aro increasing, the men stronger and more determined than ever, and that a number of those who went to the assistance of the Government have joined them. Under the circumstances they cousidcr picketing unnecessary. They disclaim any sympathy with the gospel of violence and interference with trains preached by Yarra bank orators. The Executive earnestly enjoined members to take no part in act 3 of vandalism and rowdyism. They arc acting lawfully, and should continue to do so. They claim that strikers rescued the driver in Saturday night's scrimmago at North Melbourne.

COMMENTS OF LONDON PRESS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Received 12.2 a,m., Moy 12. London, May 11.

The Standard says that the strike, besides being immediately injurious to Victoria's prosperity, is a manifestation of the general danger to the Commonwealth. It characterised it as a deliberate attempt of a political party to control the machinery of business in order to dictate to Government. It declares that Mr Irvine is right to incur any hazard to prevent a section of the community acquiring dictatorial power. The Morning Post says that if the | Government remains firm, there is no doubt as to the final issue. It is monstrous that irresponsible strikers should have power to dislocate traiiie and interfere with the convenience and comfort of millions of people. The Daily Graphic declares that since civil servants are granted direct legislative representation, the action of the labor bodies are all the more indefensible.