INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 34, 5 February 1912, Page 5

INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

POSITION REMAINS QUIET AT BRISBANE. yy THE FEDERAL ATTITUDE. Brisbane, February 3. The strike position was quiet yesterday, and there was no attempt at .1 procession. ■*'* Many shops, l including the butchers’, were open, and a brisk trade resulted. Meat was taken from the slaughterhouses and sold under police protection. A reply, received through the Go-vernor-General, to the Government’s application for military, states that* while the Commonwealth Government is prepared to fulfil its obligations to the States if occasion arises, it does not admit the right for any call of assistance under the circumstances, which should properly be dealt with by the police forces of the State. The condition of affairs, in the opinion of Federal Ministers, does not warrant die request being complied with. VIGILANCE COMMITTEES FORMED. Brisbane, .February 4. Another quiet day. The efty was thronged on Saturday night, and the Socialist red ribbon was much in evidence. The police, on foot and mounted, were everywhere in evidence v and a strong force kept the people moving. Whenever the nucleus of a crowd was formd it was quickly broken up. Over 2000 special constables have been enrolled, but so far their services have not been largely utilised. Vigilance committees have been formed in various parts of the city. The Governor has issued a proclamation calling on law-abiding citizens :o desist from participating in unlawful assembles, and calling them to assist in preserving law and order. The Government has suspended the part of the actories and Shops Act relating to early closing, thus enabling the shopkeepers to sell any hour of the day or night.

The suburban train service is entirely suspended to-day. The Railway Department has advised the State that there is no general strike at the Ipswich railway shops, as only fourteen foremen and fifty-one men are out.

Fourteen hundred, however, absented themselves from duty. The Premier has refused a further request to allow processions. COMPULSORY CONFERENCE DESIRED. Melbourne, February 4. An application on behalf of the Tramway Employees’ Association was made to the Federal Arbitration Court with a view to summoning a compulsory conference of the disputants in the Queensland strike. Mr Justice Higgins refused the application on the ground that there was no evidence that the dispute is one extending, or likoly to extend, beyond Queensland. Leave was given to renew the appli-

cation if further material is forthcoming to establish the claim.

SHIPPING DISORGANISED,

Brisbane, February 4. Steamers left as usual on Saturday for Brisbane and other Queensland ports, taking only passengers, cargo being refused. The Brisbane steamers Ararnac and Arawata were unable to leave on Saturday, owing to the strike. The Pilbarra, from Sydney, landed her passengers, but did not come up the river. The Burwah, from the north, did not unload, and is proceeding direct to Sydney.

Two men were charged in connection with Saturday’s trouble, and one was fined £5. The other was remanded.

The strike threatens to spread. A meeting of Townsville representatives of all workers affiliated to the Australian Workers’ Union decided to cease work in sympathy with the Brisbane strikers, The men affected include miners of Charters Towers, Rainswood, Cloncurry, Herberton. and Ohillagoe, the waterside workers of Townsville, Mackay, Bowen and Cairns, and also the sugar, meat and timber workers. The strike eventuates on Monday if the call comes, the Strike Committee having instructed the men to hold themselves in readiness.

MILITARY AID REFUSED,

(Received 5, 8.30 a.m.) Melbourne, February 5

Mr Fisher states that lie has been asked to call the Federal Parliament together to consider the position. He [considers it is impracticable for the Commonwealth to intervene in a State matter. Why should he call Parliament to enable the Opposition to direct that troops should be sent to aid the Queensland Government? If sent there would surely be bloodshed. (Received 5, 8.30 a.m.) Brisbane, February 5.

The Premier is dissatisfied with the' refusal of military. He declares that Mr Fisher has placed the strike executive on an equality with the State, Government. Ho refused aid because' the strike committee objected. GENERAL STRIKE THREATENED. (Received 5, 8.30 a.m.) Bi'isbane, February 5. It is stated that the strike committee is discussing the question of a general strike throughout Australia. This is borne out by a statement made in Melbourne by the president of the Amalgamated Tramway Employees’ Association that if not settled by the end of next week not a single wheel will go round on any of the tramway Services in the various States, and this would also extend to the New South Wales railway service,and Waterside workers and the Federated Workers’ Association. He added that a meeting of Adelaide tramwaymen was held to-day to consider the . question of wearing badges, “which is hot yet done. It is believed that the result will be the adopting of the badges, thus securing an extension of the strike to another State and necessitating the intervention of the Arbitration Court.

Although there is difficulty in obtaining and delivering food so far there is nothing in the shape of a famine. The police are still being augmented with an increased force. The system of picketing shops is being broken up. Tho strike committee is issuing food coupons to unionists, asking those with money to refrain from obtaining supplies as the funds are required for less fortunate members. Strikers are leaving the city till the trouble is over. It is stated that an attempt will probably be made to re-start the trams to-day. It is alleged that the men are available md the question is only one of adequate, police protection. There wore special prayers in all churches yesterday for the restoration of industrial peace. THE WELLINGTON TROUBLE. STRIKE’S SPREAD SUGGESTED. Wellington, February 4. The tramwaymen’s strike remains ansettled. The City Council held a special meeting on Saturday to deal with the report of the sub-committee which had inferred with the representatives of the Tramway’s Union. A UNION OBJECTION. The terms of settlement had been xgreed to, but the men took exception to the paragraph which stated that Inspector Fuller’s transference had been at his own request. Subsequently, tho strikers’ representatives arrived to announce the result of the previous night’s meeting. They were received by the sub-com-mittoe, which subsequently reported to the Council sitting in committee, Press representatives being excluded. A ROW. Loud voices were shortly afterwards heard coming from the chambei’, and various epithets wore hurled about freely. Councillors came out in ones and twos, and the meeting had evidently broken up in some excitement. COUNCIL’S OFFICIAL STATEMENT.

The Town Clerk later gave the folowing official statement to the Press: •The delegates of the strike committee came over to furnish us with an "official report of the result of last night’s meeting of the union. They also asked to meet the delegates of the Council. The delegates of both ados met, and the representatives of the strike committee advanced a further proposal in the direction of a settlement. They asked that No. 1 clause should bo deleted entirely from the previous basis of agreement and that the Council’s own resolution of

yesterday should be substituted and embodied in the agreement, as follows ; ‘That it be an instruction to the electrical engineer, on the settlement of the dispute, to have Inspector Fuller placed in a position where ho wljl not have any dealings with members of the tramway Union.’ The Council was considering this proposal, when the unfortunate incident occurred which led to its compulsory adjournment until Monday morning.” “DOWN TOOLS.” The men met last night representatives of other unions, which had pot previously taken any part in the matter. It is understood a resolution was passed that the City Council be notified that unless the men’s amended terms be acceded to by noon on Monday other unions will be asked to “down tools” in token of sympathy with the strikers. STRONG UNION STATEMENTS. Wellington, February 5. At yesterday’s mass meeting Mi Young, chairman of the strike committee, who spoke first, said: “If the ‘Dominion’ newspaper says much more in regard to this matter we will take away its material, so that it will not bo able to say anything at all. (Applause and laughter.) If it is not very quiet we will close its doors just about as effectively as tjiey can be closed. We are going to have fair play and if that malicious Tory newspaper enters into the contest too severely dt will regret it A’ (Great applause.)

Mr Sutherland, secretary of the Traimyay Union, said the whole trouble was brought about by the Council itself. It had taken up the attitude that it would not be dictated to by any union or organisation of whatever class or creed. He ventured to say that the Council would be dictated to on this occasion or they would see the commencement of a fight that was going to be bigger than they,.anticipated.

In seconding a resolution by Mr Carey that the Council should accept the strike committee’s terms of settlement or resign, Mr P. Hickey said: “You are on the brink of exactly tjje same proposition as they are ijp against in Brisbane. We jnre gfling to fight the Council with all the weapons at our disposal from ' Auckland to the Bluff. There is only gding tp bo onp verdict—an unqpalifipa Vjctofy for the men.’’ ' ' ' ' -V vS’U' ' . : ■ ; ;• I■■V ; : • - , V.. ■ SETTLED AT LAST; * W'• ' Wellington, Febi,-ugry 5. , The tramway strike is settled. ■] \\ \ >’ ; ~ TROUBLES ELSEV* HERE- ■ ' \ i; . J.-■ i; UNIONIST LEADER RESIGNS. '• r .? tV., ■ ... ' : ,-y' y.'V- '■ ■ London, Pebrqary 3,, The resignation of Mr Mahon fypm the leadership of the Welsh Miners’ Federation is announced, ostensibly because of failing healthy but^in. ,;l ity he is losing control. . , TILBURY DOCK STRIKE; . London, February 3(1 ~ Work at Tilbury Docks is practical- . . ly at a standstill. • ' The wharves affected include the Orient and Peninsular and Oriental companies’. The dispute commenced owing fr the omploymont of non-union tally clerks. I NON-UNIONISTS ABUSED. (Received .5, 8.5 a.m.) y New York, February 4. A Judge at Portland, Oregan, held that the. use of the word “scab” applied to non-unionists was ■ mbt punishable as an offence unless panied by abusive words. Six men are adjudged guilty of a .breach of the peace for using abusive language, including “scab,” -toi. nonrunionist workers in (the railway shops. l M \ DISSATISFIED FLAX-WORKERS. Palmerston, February 5. New demands by the swamp hands in the flax industry have been presented to the millers and as some have not been agreed to there is a possibil ity of trouble. At a meeting of the Flax Mill Employees’ Union the following resolution was passed: . “That this meeting expresses regret at the unsatisfactory replies received from the Flaxmillers’ Association to their requests for alteration of conditions of work of men employed in swamps; that the union requests an immediate answer to each of the clauses embodied in their claims and failing this they will call a mass meeting to deal with the matter either with or without the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act.” The demands deal mainly with conditions of work and, only indirectly with remuneration, which is almost entirely piecework. TALLY-CLERKS GO OUT. V Auckland, February 5. Some of the tally-clerks employed on tho wharves declined to start work this morning under their present pay of Is 3d per hour, considering they were worth as much as the waterside workers, who, under the new award, will receive Is od per hour from Thursday. The companies promised to consider the position, but the positions of the men who ceased work were promptly filled.