RAILWAY UPHEAVAL.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 April 1920, Page 2

RAILWAY UPHEAVAL.

ROTORUA, AprH/28. The Railway position was considered v >y Ministers at a special Cabinet; meet- o ng to-day. | 1 The Premier left immediately after I t Cabinet rose, proceeding via Taupe to t Napier en route to Wellington. t t GOVERNMENT heads CONFER t ROTOR.UA, April <• 1 The railway position is uppermost in tlie public mind to-niglit, and ts ' beet on the Royal visit is the subje.-t of much conjecture. Hie Minister had a long confer nice this evening, and they discussed the situation with the Governor-Gene'-, 1 at a meeting at which the General Manager of Railways was present. ‘ The result was not disclosed up till 11.20 p.m. ROYAL PARTY’S POSITION. ROTORUA, April 28. Tlie position of the Royal Partv, is like Mahomet’s coffin, rather : n the air, • pending an announcement as to the result of to-night’s deliberations, lit is understood there is no likelihood of the Prince and party’s transport l over the railways being interrupted, jljut as the matter is one of ueh ;m- ---! pprtance, it may be necessary to go back to Auckland whence the I’rince would proceed in the Renown to Wellington'and resume the prognmme from that point. Residents of Rotorua are becoming apprehensive concerning the food .ripply. The Chamber of Commerce toil jcrjit waited on the Minister wall a [suggestion that some form of rationing be instituted. President- McLean pointed out that the normal population at this time of the year 's 3.000. but is now swelled to between 10 000

and 12,000, including Maoris, and the outlook is serious. The y feared when shops opened to-morrow there could be a. rush and available stocks would be snapped up to the disadvantage of many people. Ministers promised to assist, in any way possible. TO GO BACK TO AUCKLAND. ROTORUA, April 28 At midnight, it was announced that arrangements were being made to - airy the Royal party hac-k to AnekLn-’ to-morrow, but- the Ministers are reticent a-s to the further movement:, evidently hoping it is possible that Mr Maiff cy on reaching Wellington tomorrow will be able to arrive at a settlement with the ra-ilwaymen. that would permit the North Island ; ,-ogramme to be carried out as originally planned, though, of course, there -may be a delay of a day or so. This 1 owmar, depends pi} (he result of negotiations. It is expected that- there will be no difficulty oil the run to Auckland, which is the home town of tlie Warn men here, who naturally are anxiou; to get- hack, 'lTie difficulties have been by the fact that the A.S.R.S. servants have joined the loco men on strike, but the authorities are still hopefil-

RENOWN'S MEN ON TRAIN. ROTORUA, April 23.

A, train conveying 300 seamen Mid marines from the Renown, with Hie

, ship’s band left here at 11.20 co-irTht ■ for Auckland. The loco men agreed to get these non through, EXECUTIVE’S REPLY. WELLINGTON April 23. Replying to the Premier’s appeal to resume Mr McAyley replied:—“Y'ur tyjegiv.jlj to hand. The Executive expected you'here pH U’ugday night; p nd I am advised to state that until you reach here wo have no power to call the strike oil. f desire to respectfully add that delay makes the matfer of s?Oloment difficult.” LVIIEST FROM MR MASSEY. NAPIER, April 23. Mr Massey .is on his way from R'ltoi«„ to Wellington, via Napier, tie has arrived at Tepolme (10 p.m.) about nvo houili from Napier, f Nw roads arc very bad. The “Hawke’s Bay Herald” communicated with the Tepolme Hotel hr telephone and was informed that Ur Massey had no statement to he nsued till he reaches headquarters. AT AUCKLAND. A U,t KLAXI), April 23 If ih.y railway strike is prolonged, there will be serious results for the Auckland Ci/y Tramways electric lghl and power, also the gas supply, ah c.epepding on cpal. ,Coal jimves largely by train. Thy s t°cks are very low. 1 4 fpw trains were r,upping on the aulpirjjon lines today. at Wanganui. WANGANUI, April 23. \ s‘c :h meeting of flip I'.aCuwn Branch of the A.S.R.fS. held this morning, strongly favoured siding w th the strikers, hut accepted the advice by the Chairman *to carry cm, pending infractions from the Executive at Wellington. The men intimated that they would cease work immediately if any attempt- were made to force them.

| CHRISTCHURCH TRAFFIC. I CHRISTCHURCH A»ril 23 1 “Until we know what is going to happen in the South Island we <• nnot attempt to draw up an emergency time-table-,.” said the District Traffic Manager ,to-day. ‘.‘lf the men here do go out on strike, of course, we wid do our best. I chink we will be able to keep a. few trains running on the more important; -suburban lines, including Lyttelton; but; all that depends or the number of men who will remain loyal. At present I have no information whatever on that account.”

A.S.R.S. Joins Strike South island Unaffected Premier’s Arrival Awaited Before Anything Definite Done (Per Press Association.)

POSITION AT DUNEDIN

A reporter was informed that tveu without a strike a severe curtailment of the existing services was bound to come in Canterbury. It was stated that in the Christchurch yard alone tlie number of shunters is fourteen or fifteen below normal, and that in Lyttelton all the shunting lias had to be done for weeks by porters.

DUNEDIN, April 28

The dramatic denouncement <-u the railways seems to have created s- me surprise, even in inner circles iie>e. Whatever issue was put to the meeting of the local men on Sunday, no hint could be obtained that it portended • ction:

It was considered possible that the south would follow the attitude of the A.S.R.S. when they declared for the method provided hy the Labour Disputes Investigation Act. It- is now generally held, however, that any previous division over methods of procedure will not effect solidarity of the men. This is especially so now that the issue has been forced.

One of the leading officials of the A.S.R.S. states that the responsibility for tlie strike now rests with the Premier and Mr McVilly and on their willingness to meet the three Societies in conciliatory spirit. The local train service has bee.} running on time and there was no rfsh ly visitors today to get home. The Executive of tlie Railway dicers’ Institute to-night decided that the . Minister of Railways be advised that the Institute wpuld not agree ta a proposal made by him in a letter dated April 21st., with regard to the appointment of a Commission consisting of ( two Stipendiary Magistrates and an assessor from the Institute and Department to consider the question of the increase in the cost of living between January Ist and June Ist. It was further resolved to adhere to the Haims made before Railway Wage Enquiry Hoard on February otli. and repeated to the Minister of Railways on April 14th in respect? to the salaries of mem r bers of the First Division. The General Secretary wjis ins{xuet<;<| to Mr Massey to this effect-

A.S.R.S, STRIKE. WELLINGTON, April 28. The following urgent telegram has been addressed to the Prime Minister by Air A. Hampton (President of the A.S.R.S.) “Our recent ballot has resulted overwhelmingly in favour of a general strike. “Our repeated representations to the Government and the Department, that the situation was critical not paying been taken spriqlisly, we hfiye n<% }{b alternative but to give qttoci to pijr members’ decision forthwith.’’ “For the present, pur strike will he confined to the North Island. (Signed) R. Hampton (President), M- J- Mapk (General Secretary).’'

A.S.R.S, PRESIDENT SPEARS. WELLINGTON, April 28.’ After the telegram disclosing the result of the A.S.R.S. strike ballot had been sent to Mr Massey, Mr Hampton (President of the A.S.R.S.) made the following statement to a reporter: “I myself and my Executive have done our utmost right up to the last minute to avert a spreading of the strike. We had hoped that some reply would have been received from the Minister that our request for a meeting Under the Labour’DispißM Investigation Aft would he granted. Had this come through, I believe my Executive could have staved off Urn spread of the trouble, but in the absence of any reply, and with the pressure from our branches and also with -the emphatic decision by a secret ballot in favour of a strike we can no longer ta|je any other course than thaj, now adopted.. Air Hampton'yesterday addressed A.S.R.S. men when they asked for direction, He said the Executive had decided on a Nprth Island strijus, a{. oncp, and a South Island strike latpr if necessary! He said the Society Councillors wen; not all there when the decision was made, hut the opinions of all of them were ascertained. lie said that- they had not in the past, always agreed »yRI. the ioco men, but they did r.pw. Tim two Societies entered the fight arp) ip arm. (Cheers.), He declared they were sure to win. He urged the men not t ) lounge in hotels. They should conserve their money, as it might make all the difference between defeat and victory. He was sure that they would uin. He knew the attitude of Labour all over New Zealand in other organisations. They were a.ll with them. (Ch.ee s). Asked when "tire strike stai tocj, }lr Hainplqn said anybody asked to resume work should pop do so, (Cheers), It was h vory big gavliQt'iHg* Hampton added some trains were mu by scab labour, hup no A.S.R.S. man, he hoped, would go on one I The big gathering concluded with three cheers for the {strike. "Our bnjloj. was a very big fine, W,3 have the ballot papers here in our own office, and if there is any question raised as to the number of votes reeprded, or as to how the men voted, pur ballot papers are open for inspection by any responsible officer of the Government' should such scrutiny he desiretj.’*

ROTORUA CONSTERNATION, ROTORUA, Apiil 28, The strike caused consternation among visitors hero gathered for the Koval celebration in Rotorua. To the two thousand Europeans concerned as well as six thousand Natives concentrated in a camp on the racecourse, at Aroha Park, it prossaged immediate difficulty of an embarrassing character. Many had come with just sufficient funds to carry them over the holiday' aiid the prospect of a prolonged stay saw the despatch of urgent telegraphic to their hoiqes for money. Hundreds besieged the railway station during the moniTug to glean whatever information was available as to possible train movements. but Stntionm aster Stevens w;is unable to do more than refer them to a notice posted up that: —“All goods, parcels, live stock, and milk traffic is suspended till further notice.”

AUCKLAND TIED UP. ! AUCKLAND, April 28. All members of the locomotive branch of the railway have ceased work, as they are reported to have been directed by the Executive to do. The railways of Auckland Province are practically ae a standstill. A few suburban trains were run today, biit these were cpiite unable to cope with passengers who work in the city. In view of the grave • effects of the strike upon the industries of the city, the Mayor has been asked to call a meeting of the business community to discuss the situation.

In the meantime, however, the Mayor is in communication with the Prime Minister with a view to ascertaining the position as regards the pay of the railwaymen and any offers of the .Government. The Auckland Provincial Farmers’ Union is also communicating with Mr Massoy and the Loco Association with reference to food supplies and transport of primary products. The tramways and electricity services are already threatened through lack of coal.

No goods traffic is being accepted for tile few trains which are running. STRIKE DECioION CHEERED. WELLINGTON, April 28. When the Executive of the A.S.R.S. was sitting to consider wliat action should be taken by the Society in the strike, there was a crowd of several hundred railwaymen waiting below in the street to hear the result. When the announcement was made to them that the A.S.R.S. were in the strike from that moment, the crowd cheered very loudly, and received the news with quite evident satisfaction.

MR VEITCH’S VIEWS. . WANGANUI, April 28. Interviewed by a “Herald” representative re the strike, Mr W. Veitch, M.P., expressed the view that a serious mistake had been made in the precipitation of a strike, particularly while the Royal visitor was in the Dominion. He said that he had seen a disaster coming for several years, and session , after session he had ventilated the causes in Parliament. He regretted that his efforts had fallen on deaf ears > his complaints being regarded as party attacks, rather than as honest attempts to avert the impending trouble. Such were the party politics to which New I Zcalamj owes tlio many present difficulties. He said that the chief reasons of the strike were due to the fact that after a number of years of patient endeavour by constitutional means, the iijrn have found the working conditions becoming more and more irksome. The depletion of the staffs by enlistment, and afterwards by large numbers resigning, hat} imposed long wprking hours on the remaining men, who are feeling the effects of overwork. Mr Veitch says that the only solution iy an increase in wages tp a standard whieh wil| prevent further resignations an increase in wages to junior's, in order to induce young men tp undertake railway work and to provide housing accommodation ; and a more sympathetic understanding on the part pt ()ie administration. MR MASSEy ARRIVING TONIGHT. M-\RTvJNG TIME MEANWHILE. WELLINGTON, This Day. Htm W, F l . Massey is expected t < arrive to-night. It is unlikely that anything definite will occur till lie comes.

A PROPOSAL TO MEN. WELLINGTON, This Day. Mr M. Carr, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce interviewed the E-E-P-A. and suggested (hat flip cjispufp bp referred to a committee of business men selected by the Railway Department and the men, and that the strike be pallpd off meanwhile. The proposal was discussed' at some length, but alternately the men must meet Mr Massey before anything is done. Questions of superanuation, .victimisation and others have to fie settled, but they would bo .pleased if Mr Carr would see the Premier and advise him to icing about a speedy settlement, , P.P.A. EXECUTIVE’S APPEAL WELLINGTON, This Day. The P.P.A Executive has appealed to the men deprecating the strike and urging them to declare off until the Prin Vs tour is finished, as otlierwiso they will alienate .sympathy that would 1 e felt for them. DEPARTMENTAL pjL’PLy. ’ r ' Wellington, This Day. In roply to Air MeCarley’s statement that the Department had refused leave to delegates of E.F.C.A. to visit Wellington, Mr MacDonald, Assistant General Manager says the request was for jen drivers and firemen (a attend an Urgent mqetirig, Ijiit no statement was given of the nature of the business. The Association was informed that so many mpn could not be released without unch ipoonyenienee, lint the Depart..lent would give lpave after the departure of the Prince. Mr MacDonald adds that all engine men are already earning overtime and to release ten more would have thrown aq additional burden on the remainder,

HOPE FOR GISBORNE. GISBORNE, Tin’s Day. \ In view of the alteration of the Prince’s itinerary, in consequence of the strike, and the probability of his coming down the East Coafst in the Renown, the hope is expressed that he will be able to visit the historic Poverty Bay. Representations have already been made by t]ip Mayor of Gisborne |hat (he Reppwr} should c*a]l tlijji'Q,

S-'I'OPPAGK AT GISBORNE. GISBORNE, This Day. The local railwayman have intimated |ha|, trains will now run after midday.

ENGINEERS DEETSION. AUCKLAND, April 29,

■4t a packed meeting of Amalgamated Society of Engineers Mr Carter (Secrofai’y) stated it had been decided to down tools im media toy in the event of apy member of the A.S.E'. being used to the detriment of the 'E.Ii’.C, THE OUTLOOK. DUNEDIN, This Day. Tho General Secretary of the Railway Officers Institute has received a telegram from Hon. W. F. Massey from Napier stating he would deal with the questions referred to in the Secretary s telegrams on arrival at Wellington. A telegram was also received from Mi MoVilly stating no instruction had been issued compelling the performance of second division work hv members of the Institute. The opinion in railway circles in Dunedin is that tho reinforcement of A. SjR.S. will make matters slide fast, mul the extension to the South Island jj, pretty certain. Some say immediately unless an understanding with the Premier is reached.

j DUNEDIN DECISION. ■ DUNEDIN, This Day. A mass meeting of Hillside Workshops men discussed the strike and resolved—We reaffirm our previous Uiiion unanimous resolution attesting our support to the Executive Council in any extreme measure they may deem necessary to take and now that the time for action has arrived, we patiently await instructions from the executive. It ! was further decided to offer financial | support to the men on strike in tile North Island.

EXECUTIVE STATEMENT. WELLINGTON, April 29. The Executive Council of the E.F.C.A in an official statement expresses regret at being compelled to inconvenience the public in order to obtain an improveI ment of the deplorable conditions of work. The Executive are sorry a more speedy settlement was not brought about There ■ was no improvement in the suburban railway service 1 this morning