RAILWAY STRIKE.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 October 1919, Page 2

RAILWAY STRIKE.

(By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) f AUSTKALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION]

A CONFERENCE. LONDON, October 1

At midnight the Raihvaymen and other Labour leaders were still sitting in a Conference with the Government at Downing Street.

Later. At 12.30. a.m., to-day (Thursday) the Downing Street Conference broke up. It may possibly be resumed tomorrow. Tile Downing Street Conference resumed later to-day. Mr Thomas states: “The public will get some satisfaction from the knowledge that we have yfcome together again. It is fine duty of both sides to see that we do not break away until we have made- settlement.” > RAILWAYMEN’S DESIRE. (Received Thiß Dav at 3 a.m.) ; LONDON, Oct. 1. Well informed quarters believe the railwaymen welcome the opportunity to reopen neotiations with a view to a possible settlement. A certain section of the Cabinet strongly adheres to the

opinion that it should fight the strike against the community. The rapidity with which the Government coped with the railwaymen’s sudden strike, is due to the fact that plans prepared six months ago, in view of the possibility' , of a lightning strike of industries. It is understoood that if the busi drivers strike, Government will nave j vehicles running again . within three i hours. They will also have three thousand motor vehicles from Slough depot on the roads within a week. ! Various adjournments by the Labour I delegates are regarded as an indication j that a general strike is unlikely. | IMPROVING COMMUNICATIONS i (Received this day at 8 a.m.) j LONDON, Oct. 1. i There was a remarkable improve- ! ment to-day in the trunk lines .v'iiile j London surburban traffic was running j with increasing smoothness. Volunteer I services are operating four under-

grounds. A Downing Street communique says the trams continue to improve, more men are resuming and 170 of the traffic staff were reinstated oji the line alone. ! The food industry in twenty-four ! hours has cleared ten thousand tons of , perishables from metropolitan stations, not using Government lorries.

NO NEGOTIATIONS

UNTIL WORK RESUMED

J (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) I LONDON, Oct. 1

J Hon. Lloyd George informed a depui tation that it was quite impracticable | to re-open negotiations with the rail- [ way men until work was resumed.

DEPUTATION RECEIVED. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, Oot. 1. Hon. Lloyd George was not attended by his colleagues when lie received a deputation from the Transport Workers Conference. The interview lasted four hours. The deputation then proceeded to Caxton Hall, but declined to make a statement to the press. STRIKE PAY. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 1. The railwaymen’s strike pay is 12s weekly. It is estimated the strike will coslt the National Union of Railwaymen over a quarter of a million weekly. . * Four hundred steamers are detained in the Tyne, being unable to get bunker coal. | Mr Adamson who is in Scotland, tele- 1 grnplies to the Premier urging that Parliament be„ immediately summoned. Strikers stoned a train between North Berwick and Edinburgh, and smashed tlio windows, hut no one uas injured. A DECISION EXPECTED.

i (Received This Dav at 9.30. a.m.) j LONDON, October 1. ; The workers’ decision is expected to- ! night after a protracted sitting. A LABOUR ENQUIRY. •' HON. LLOYO CEORGE’S REPLY. ' ißeceived Tbi“ Dav at 9 50. a.m.) LONDON, October I. Air Gosling, President of the Trans- | port Workers Federation, who headed the deputation, including prominent j Labour leaders whose unions are not inj volved in the strike, asked Hon. Lloyd ! George whether ho wished to see the ! the Railwaymeu’s Executive, j Hon. Lloyd George replied that lie •was re ady to meet them, but added: J “Nothing can be gained by ambiguity, | and there has been a good deal of mis- , understanding already. Therefore, I ; want to make it quite clear that the ! Government considers it impracticable •j to re-open negotiations until the raili waymen resume. ' “ Xlie Ministers concerned in negotia- | tions cannot attempt to deal with the questions involved while the whole of i their energies are devoted to improvising the means to carry on the life of the nation.”

I SETTLEMENT OF STRIKE. j REPORTED TO BE IMMINENT. j (Received this day at. 11.25 a.m.) i LONDON, Oct. 2. j A settlement of the strike is reported 1 to be imminent.