INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 35, 6 February 1912, Page 6

INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

BRISBANE TRAMS RESUME RUNNING. (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Press Association.* : . Brisbane, February 5. The trams started.running at throe different points at noon. One hundred experienced tramway-men and 150 novices were employed. All the tramwaymen were armed. Large forces of armed men line the route, and crowds cheered the cars. Numbers of biishmen reached the city, volunteering their services as special; constables. Altogether the Police Commissioner has a force of 3000 men to guard the city.' .. . The> strikers are cowed.

The city presents the appearance of a besieged place. Semi-military camps have been formed in the Government Domain, and the Botanical Gardens are dotted with tents and long horse lines. The drilling of special constables with batons and mounteds in sword exercises are in full swing. Strong squads are parading the streets.

A number of motor-ears have been placed at the disposal of the Government, and will bo utilised bj f the police in the event of emergency calls. The Premier conferred with the police heads in the morning, when arrangements woro completed for starting the trams. The first cars were mostly filled with special constables, Badger, manager of the Tramway Company, riding in one. Coyne, president of the Strike- Committee,- interviewed after the start, stated that the committee had issued strict orders against any attempt at violence, and added: “We are ou a good wicket, and can afford a peaceful attitude. You may anticipate within a couple.-.of days a complete upheaval throughout Australia;” Collins, another member of the committee, states that ho had received the following wire from their Sydney mates: “When you say the word we are ready to paralyse this city.” Posses of special constables are guarding the Premier’s house. It is understood that the police have taken this precaution owing to alleged throats against Mr Denham, who objected to the 'presence, of a guard, declaring he Was all right. The Strike Committee hold frequent meetings to-day. It is rumoured the outcome is'- Ukely .to' bo'.far-reaching. 4 Mr. Finlayson, a member of the Asreferring to the - warnings of the Cdmmisioner- of Police that the strike leaders would be hold responsible for |asyi d'isprdei- find arrested (if| there were' ally trouble, declared that if five hundred of their viligance officers were arrested others would take their place. * “We have twentytwo thousand to depend upon. The police are seeking an excuse for the arrest of the leaders.”.

The Premier’s action in starting the trains came as a surprise to the strikers, who anticipated they would be started to-morrow..

Badger, tramways manager, denies* that he rodo on a tram.

Fifty 'thousand loaves of bread were distributed this morning from labour bakeries. Six restaurants, -a ber of grocers’ and butchers’ shops in each suburb have been opened under auspices. Thousands of coupons have been distributed to the strikers.

The trams continued running till the evening, and there was no trouble. •The rpublic gave fair patronage. ■More special constables wore sworn in to-day,' including a number of pro-minent-business men. A meeting of the Federated Employers’ Union and other employers’ organisations resolved that as the Government guaranteed protection to all trades they, at the Government’s request, would resume business to the extent of relieving those retailers supplying foodstuffs and the necessaries of life, but only on the understanding that traders do not accept any terms or conditions of the union’s .committee.

There are contradictory reports from the northern towns. Some state that the waterside and other men struck, and others that are still waiting to bo called out.

THE TROUBLE EXTENDS

(Received 6, 0.30 a.m.) Brisbane, February 6

•Mr Coyne, addressing the strikers, declared tliat by niglit the whole of the shipping of Queensland would lie paralysed. Ho read a telegram purporting to come.from,Townsville, stating that the Seamen’s Union and fourteen other unions wore out. He proceeded to say that anyone returning to work before the victory was won would be a traitor and would 1m dealt with as a traitor deserved. It would he no use their going to other States —they would bb followed. Employers victimising strikers would also bo dealt with. ■ He advised the strikers not to pay rent while tho strike was on: they must provide food first. Mr Codings referred to the last statement. He declared that there was no intention to repudiate payment which would be made when the men returned after victory, when there would be work for all. A bulletin by the strike committee states that special constables were recruited from the public service by coercion.

The tram service continued until early in tho evening. Tho manager expects a normal service in a few days.

The difficulties in regard to food supplies are far less acute, most of tho grocers serving in the usual way. A few pickets have been observed but no interference was attempted. An extension of the strike to Ipswitch was followed by tho issue of a

proclamation prohibiting unlawful assemblies in that city.

At a meeting of the City Council the Mayor stated that Council employees who struck would not be rocmployed without his approval.

Members of the Rockhamton Typographical Society and Butchers’ Union will strike on Wednesday. | The Rev Gibson distributed large [quantities eff bread to indigent parish--1 ioners.

An order has been issued further closing all ; hotels in Brisbane till Monday.

The mine engine-drivers at Charters have decided by a large majority that there is no local reason to join the strike^ A meeting of delegates from Townsville Unions decided to strike. All shops were closed and the streets.wore crowded. Two constables arrested a man. Strikers attacked them with sticks and stones. The police, being reinforced, succeeded in holding the man. THE REQUEST FOR MILITARY. (Received 6, 9.30 a.m.) Melbourne, February 6. The Industrial Registrar of. the Commonwealth Arbitration Court has received two declarations from South Australia in support of a compulsory conference concerning the Brisbane strike. They will be submitted to the president to-day. Mr Pearce, referring to Queensland’s request for militia, declared; “I. cannot foresee the possibility of military interference ever being necessary in connection with industrial matters in Australia, so convinced am I of tho good sense of the people which always prevails.” RAILWAY WORKERS RETURN. (Received 6, 10.5 a.m.i Brisbane, February 6. Tho Minister for Railways stated that 111 men have returnee* io work at the Ipswich workshops MELBOURNE MOVEMENTS. Melbourne, February 5. All the steamers are cutting out Brisbane as a port of call. Tho Tramway Employees’ Union aro forwarding an additional £SOO to the Brisbane strikers. A secret meeting of tliq executive of the Labour Council was hold today. Two Labour members of tho Queensland Parliament attended. No information is available beyond the statement of the president that “We have decided to give Brisbane our best assistance.”, ) i The secretary of the Federated Liquor Trades Union is taking steps to prevent, t)ie" sending of beer from Melbourne and Sydney to Brisbane, whore all the breweries aye closed. It is officially stated that the waterside workers will take no action in support of the Brisbane strikers; certainly not in the .immediate future. The ,executive of the Labour Council decided to advise the unions to financially support the Brisbane strikers, but to take no precipitate action.

Mr Fisher- states that efforts will be directed to meeting the Brisbane trouble in the Federal 'Arbitration Court. '

IF BLOOSHED OCCURS

(Received, 6, 9.00 a.m.) Sydney, February 6.

A meeting of the United Labourers’ Protective Society decided that in the event of any of the Brisbane strikers bping shot down they would support a general strike of all workers in Australia. ' ■ THE WELLINGTON TRCSJI3LE. SETTLEMENT SATISFACTORY TO BOTH PARTIES. r iilE PREMIER’S INTERVENTION. Wellington, February 5. The tramway strike is settled, and the oars resume running to-morrow morning.

'The City Council met shortly before 11 a.m. to consider the position Before the meeting took place, the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) arrived, and he was engaged in conference in committee for about an hour with the members of the Council.

At 11.40 a.m. he emerged from the Council Chamber ‘and motored to the Trades’ Council Chambers, where he ( had a conference with the strike committee. While he was upstairs a groat crowd of people gathered, and as he came out of the building shortly alter 12.20 p.m. he received a hearty greeting. He motored straight back to the Town Hall.

An anxious individual walked up to tho car and said: “Fix it jrp?” “It will bo fixed up all right,” Sir Joseph smilingly replied. "When he reached the Town Hall, Sir Joseph wont straight into tho Council Chamber, where the members were still silting in committee. A few minutes later four members of the strike committee arrived at the Town Hall, and they were accommodated in the Mayor’s room, ponding tho Council’s determination. In due course, the members of the sub-committee of the strike committee met a sub-committee of the Council, with Sir Joseph Ward in attendance, and just before I p.m. all the members of the Council and the other parties interested filed out of the rooms.

“What’s the result?” a press reporter asked. “It’s all over,” a councillor quickly responded. Sir Joseph Ward walked downstairs accompanied by tho members of the strike committee, tho councillors, and a number of officials. As the Premier reached tho Town Hall steps, he was greeted with hearty cheers, and the hundreds of people as-

semblcd pressed closer to boar what he had to announce.

“1 am very pleased to announce,” said Sir Joseph Ward, “that this -unfortunate strike, which has existed for some days between the tramway men and the City Council, has been settled satisfactorily to both sides. (Cheers.) The terms and conditions on which that settlement has been arrived at will lie announced by those responsible* to the men and not by me, at a meeting to be held in the King’s Theatre at 3 p.m.”

He added that as a result of reason and without loss of prestige or dignity to either side this settlement had been -achieved. Tho representatives of tho union had done their duty and the terms of tho agreement arrived at, unanimously must be satisfactory to tho organisation that these men represented. As already stated, the terms of the settlement would be placed before the men at 3 o’clock, and he believed that the meeting to endorse* them would be purely a formal one, inasmuch as the details had been unanimously agreed to and without friction or trouble. He hoped that any differences which had arisen during the dispute would be entirely forgotten, and he felt perfectly sure that the corporation would allow nothing untoward to occur to tho men who had been involved in the trouble. (Apnlause.) Ho congratulated one and all on the ending of tho difficulty. Sir Joseph Ward was given three cheers, r.nd at the call of a man in iiio u-nwd three cheers were given iov * organised labour.” THE AGREEMENT. The agreement arrived at by the strike conference and referred to hy Sir Joseph Ward was road to the press by the Town Clerk as follows: “As the result of tho conference between the delegates appointed hy :he City Council and the delegates appointed by the tramways strike committee, it has been mutually agreed vs under:—(l) That the removal of Inspector Fuller to some other position in the tramway service, as originally requested by the Tramway Unim and now desired by the officer himself, be carried out ; (2) that it bo an instruction to the electrical engineer, in the settlement of the dispute, to have Inspector Fuller placed in a -position where ho will not have any loalings with the members of the Tramways Union ; (3) that the Gounil guarantee that on the resumption of work the men involved in this '•-rouble shall not bo subjected to victimisation, but shall be reinstated in their employment without loss of status.”

Signed on behalf of the conference by John Smith, G. Shirtcliffe, D. McLaren, R. Fletcher, A. R. Atkinson (representing the City Council), md tV. T. Young, P. H. Hickey, M. ). ■ Reardon, and D. Dalton (representing the strike committee). "Witness to the signature of both parties, I. G. Ward.

The agreement was put before a nceting of the Tramways Union* in ho King’s Theatre at 3 p.m., and atified. VIEWS OF COUNCILLORS.

The Acting-Mayor (Cr. J. Smith), when asked by a “Post” reporter his afternoon for his opinion of the ■•ottlement, said there was really nothing 'more to add. The terms of settlement spoke for themselves. Ho vas pleased, however, a i the happy outcome of the unfortunate deadlock. Ho thought that under the circumstances the settlement was emin-

atly satisfactory, and would meet

.vith the approval of citizens. It iad been a very trying time to all Tie councillors, but they were now dad it had all been settled and “bygones would be by-gones.” Other councillors expressed equal

'.atisfaction with the result. They rore congratulatory in the opinions if the agreement which had been drafted. It had been a strenuous time for them. Many had sacrificed a good leal in regard to their time by constant attendance in conference. They rere glad it was over and that the trams would be running to-morrow, hlr Young (chairman of the strike ommittoe) declined to express an opinion on the settlement. CARS RUNNING AS USUAL. Wellington, February G. The tramcars are running as usual to-day. 40TJTH AMERICAN RAILWAYS. Buenos Ayres, February 5. The railway strike has virtually eudhd.