RECORD SHORT STRIKE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1903, 16 November 1918, Page 4

RECORD SHORT STRIKE.

ABUOUT THE PRICE OF BEER. The shortest strike on record in Broken Hill happened on (lie morning of October 3rd. On (lie previous ■Sunday (lie local publicans decided at a meeting of the Hotelkeepers’ Union that as the wholesale cost of beer had been increased, it would he necessary for I hem to raise the price from -id all round lo 5d for pots. One prominent publican, who was in Melbourne, is reported to have left word with ollieials of the Hotelkeepers’ Union Unit he would abide by its decisions, hut the meeting decided not to bring in'the new prices until two days later, so that the ollieials of the union would have an opportunity of communicating with him. On Tuesday following all the publicans, with the exception of (he one absent in .Melbourne, charged the new rales, and there was quickly talk of a iieer strike. After the 'tight held on .Eight Hours morning between Oleeson and Payne, the larger number of men in attendance held a meeting, it was decided (hat all houses where 5d a pot was charged he declared '‘black.” Some of the speakers referred to I lie fact: that, if one publican could sell at (lie old price there was no reason why the others could not. After the meeting most of the men patronised this publican. The effeet of this wus almost electrical. The Argent Street publicans did mil relish the idea of his gelling all the holiday custom, and they at once markoil notices on the entrance:- to their hotels as follows: —"This house will continue lo dispense heer at 4d all round." The strike wus a complete success before it had been on an hour, and since then heer has been served out at 4d all round h\ nearly all tlie publicans in the city. Some remained at 5d for pots for several days, until the Hotelkeepers’ Union had amended its decision of (he previous Sunday.