RAILWAY STRIKE.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 891, 14 May 1903, Page 2

RAILWAY STRIKE.

By Telegraph—Press AssociationCopyright. MELBOURNE, .May 13. Jt is believed that tiovernment will troduce a Bill making it an offence

r .State employees to strike. The ill is staled not to have a retros-

leetive ei'iect

The Cabinet Committee which was

appointed to deal with the situation, express .satisfaction at the progress oi events,'and are conlidcni of an

early sneee

The Covenuneni are d> ennined to :iow no wavering.

'i'lie Premier states that if the signalmen strike it will not aiiect the running of the trains.

Lust nigiu the time given for the e.xecutiw of the railway societies to withdraw from the Trades I lull or

resign their positions expired. During the afternoon uvi) members of the Amalgamated .Society wroir (o (lie CommisMoner. intimatim; that they had obeyed iln* order in resign. 'i'iie other ei.nlit members of the executive remain. They, with llie executive <>fJicers oi the Knpbnecrs, Foremen s, <Jairiaj'i'-biiilders, and two remaining; ofiicers of the Daily Paid Union will he removed from the service.

Developments in connection with the signalmen are anxiously awaited. They held a conference at midnight, and a delimte plan of action was agreed upon, which if is believed will probably result in the sigmUmen ceasing work very shortly. The railway mileage run yesterday was two thousand seven hundred, compared with fourteen hundred the previous day. Jn response to a call for volunteers' the Railway Department has already

received about one thousand offers from all classes of the community. .Several linns have offered the Governnienl the. services of their engineers and litters.

Tlte Acting Agent-General lias callled from London : " Leading financial authorities thoroughly m sympathy with the stand taken by flu Government. Hope you will he entirely successful.'’

The strikers continue to receive

good many promises of support, and messages urging them to remain linn There are more promising indications of the early resumption of a moderated service having a good effect. on trade, and business people are more cheerful.

The high prices oT most, commodi lies have eased eoincwhat. Milk am firewood are the on y two lines whirl retain great firmness. At presem there are ample loud supplies, ineiud jug potatoes and some other leadin; lines, .despite the want of railway la cilities.;

The Orotava has succeeded in shipping a large quantity of meat and other frozen produce.-

DRIVERS RETURNING TO WORK.

SIGNS OP WAVERING,

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Received 6.14 p.m., May 16. Melbourne, May 18. Sixteen drivers have returned to work. The whole body of strikers in an important provincial centre tolegraphed to the Commissioner of Railways to-day offering to resume.