TRAMWAY STRIKE

Southland Times, Issue 18839, 4 June 1920, Page 5

TRAMWAY STRIKE

AUCKLAND SERVICES IDLE

SEQUEL TO JOCKEYS’ DISPUTE,

(Per United Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, June 3

The threatened strike of tramwaymen in connection with the recent dismissal of jockeys did no! affect the races to day. Men hooked to n:n the race cars declined to leave the barn until (he management diverted a large number of ears from other routes to those adjacent to the racecourse.

After a lapse of -10 minntes turn who had determined not to run specials assisted in conveying racegoers. though their ears had not the usual destination sip-ns. There was no hitch in running race trams. A strike developed in the city this afternoon as the outcome of the attitude of some of the men in connection with race-going traffic, and the consequent action of the City Council Tramway Department in dismissing those men from the service. The total number so discharged was between 60 and 70. The men who were dismissed declined to run special cars in the morning.

The news of the dismissal of men who had refused duty reached the Tramway Union executive at a meeting which was held in the early afternoon. The almost immediate sequel was that ears in the vicinity of the baj-n were taken in and laid up by their crews, the suspension of whose services was shortly afterwards announced and by 4.30 o'clock no fratjis were running.

fmme of the tramwaymen were none too pleased with the turn of events, claiming that the decision to cease work would have appealed to them more forcibly had the jockeys not been riding at, Ellerslie. The opinion was expressed that they had been forced into the position they occupied by events over which they had no control.

labour pickets were in evidence at the railway station to-day. but they did not interfere with the race-going public to any noticeable extent and no trouble resulted. In this connection it is worth recording that the lotalisator receipts at E’Mcrslie showed an increase of £21,00(1 when compared with the same day last year.