The Strike.

Manawatu Herald, 16 May 1903, Page 2

The Strike.

The railway mileage on Wednesday was 2700, as compared with 1100 on the previous day. In response to the call for volun-’ teefs, 'the Railway Department has already received about a thousand oilers from, all classes of the community. Several firms have offered the Government the services of their engineers and fitters. The -Acting-Agent-General has cabled from Loudon :—“ The leading financial authorities here are thoroughly in sympathy with the stand taken' by the Government. Hope you will bt entirely successful.” During the last ten days a million and a quarter bushels of American wheat have and three hundred thousand bushels are are nearly due. The Orotava has succeeded in shipping a large quantity of meat and other frozen produce. The Premier states that if the signalmen strike it will not affect the running of the trains. Thirty-one drivers were actually employed Six country trains were despatched and seven arrived. Pour also were run on country branch lines. Sixteen drivers have returned to work The whole body of strikers in an important provincial centre have telegraphed to the Commissioner of Railways offering to resume. parliament. The opening of the special session of Parliament on Wednesday ,was carried out with the simplest ceremony on record in the history of the-State. . .. , T The Governor’s speech consisted only of a couple of sentences : —“ I have called you together after a very brief recess, in order to obtain vour advice on a matter of the most pressing urgency, My advisers purpose submitting to you immediately a measure to deal with the strike which now, unhappily, exists in the railway service.” PROPOSALS BY THE GOVERNMENT. When Parliament met the Premier on rising, was loudly cheered by a very full house. He said he intended to ask leave to introduce a short Bill dealing with the strike. The Government had taken this action on the strength of an Act passed by the House enabling Minters to direct that a certain policy should be carried out. The Government directed the railway servants to obey the law forbidding public servants to associate with a political body, and as a result they now had to deal with a longmeditated revolt. He recapitulated the events leading up to the strike. He had met the employees with a sincere and earnest desire to prevent, by any means short of absolute surrender, the catastrophe which

had occurred, but in order to gain their ends the men were prepared to force Parliament and the country on their knees-to petition them.to take charge of the State’s property. It was an attempt to wrench by violence from the public what they could not get constitutionally. . Anything short of . complete victory, said Mr Irvine, means absolute disaster and the dislocation of Parliamentary Government. It had been said that Ministerial action had precipitated the strike, but he pointed out that six months ago the men threatened to strike because, they were asked to share in the retrenchment forced upon all sections of the public by the condition of the State finances. Conciliation was impossible now, but as many men had been misled the Government thoUght there should be room for repentance. But as this room could not be for ever, it was only by complete and absolute sub* mission to the department and the, public they had injured that the men could hope to be taken back into the grace of favour, of those Who had been injured or Ihe Government which represented them. Mr Irvine then read the preamble of the proposed Bill, which Stated the necessity of suppressing the strike.

Mr Irvine said the Government was asking the House to give it power to .bring the strike to a successful termination. To fail either through Want off determine-; tion or want of support by Parliament Would be diastrous not only to the future Government of Victoria but to the other States of Australia. The Government would deal With the matter finally -and effectively. Some foolish persons*. he said, advocated conciliation, but anyone who urged conciliation at such a time as the present joined themselves with those opposing the Government. Sit Alex. Peacock, leader of -'the Opposition, followed the’ Premier.' He said he admired the splendid action of the Premier. The Government must rule when' constituted authority was threatened. He wished to move an amendment, which, while regretting what the men had done, would direct that they be ordered to return to work forthwith, and if this were done Parliament would consider their grievances. ■ Ha hopfed something of the sort would be done to save widespread distress and misery. The men must give in, but he hoped that even at the r eleyentb hour a chance, would be given them.

, The Premier shook his bead at the proposal. : : Ue Bromley declared that the Government wished the men to have no rights. Their association with the Trades Hall for seventeen years had done no harm. The Government was responsible for the strike, but the Government was only the puppet of the Employers’ Union, Reform Leagues and other similar bodies. He advocated conciliation. The debate is proceeding. The details of the Bill have not yet been disclosed. Important developments are possible as a result of the meeting of Parliament. Traffic is now being conducted without a hitch. The numbers of passengers is daily increasing. Professor Kernot is instructing the drivers in the use of the Westinghouse brake. AN IMPROVEMENT IN T&E SERVICE. Amongst those who have come to the assistance of the Government is Mr David. Mitchell, Madame Melba’s father. He is an old driver and has been running a train for the last couple of days. Twenty-throe suburban trains were running on the 14th, two additional lines to St. Kilda and Preston being re-opened. Wednesday’s country service was maintained, and a number of crosscountry trains were run. Goods trains ran between Melbourne and Woodend and -Bend igo and Woodend—the first goods trains, attempted since the strike. Three of the drivers who originally struck were in charge of engines on Thursday.