INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 63, 9 March 1912, Page 5

INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

INFLUENCING SOLDIERS. (By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Press Association.) London, March 7. Crowley, who distributed handbills at Aldershot urging soldiers not to lire on strikers, has been committed for trial. A SIGNIFICANT CONFERENCE. (Received 9, 10.5 a.m.) London, March 8. It is significant that a conference of coal owners from all parts of the country has been convened, at the Premier’s invitation. One of the features of the strike has been the small part played by the Parliamentary Labour Party. The Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent declares that ho is unable to cope with the distress, as eightly thousand children are affected and £140,000 weekly in wages is withdrawn. There is no appreciable change in the strike situation. ’The miners’ executive will not yield without instructions from the national conferences. 'The summoning of Scotish owners’ representatives to confer with the Premier is regarded optimistically. The Premier, in the House of Commons, stated that the exigencies of the situation were not such as to make Parliamentary discussion at present desirable. The industrial council, owing to the resumption of Government negotiations, has suspended its meetings until Tuesday. It is reported at Cardiff that some of the leading South Wales owners, hitherto restrained by the extreme pressure of the no-surronderers, will break away and join the English owners in regard to the terms of settlement.

There has been a general rise in the price of bread. The delay and disappointment over the Argentine crop is the controlling cause, but the coal strike hastened the decision.

The quantity of coal exported in February, in view of the threatened strike, was 628,555 tons above that of February last year.

Four hundred thousand workmen are idle.

Strikers wrecked the buildings anti burned the engine-house at Tobrax colliery, in Midlothian, where a few non-unionists were working. AUCKLAND LABOURERS! Auckland,.March 8.. ; It is understood that the intentions of’ the Labtdri; Federation ; were to some extent announced.torday .at meetings of the Tramway Union. Are porter obtained information to the effect that the president and vicepresident of the Federation, president of the General Labourers’ Union, and Scott Bennett (Socialist) addressee meetings. In the course of remarks it is understood that they made it clear that they are engaged in a campaign of organisation of all the uniohf affiliated or connected with the Federation in the Dominion, and when thu, is finished, if the. Federation is not recognised by the employers to the extent of granting a conference, the gong will sound for a general strike which, if complete, will involve 170 C or 1800 men.

A CLASS STRUGGLE

/Auckland, March 9

Tho Auckland Brewers’, Wine ant Spirit Merchants’ and Aerated Watei Employees’ Union resolved to strongly protest against the attitude of tin representatives of the Auckland Cit; Council and outside local bodies to wards the Federation of Labour in it> refusal to meet tho officials of the Federation and further against th alliance between the representatives o' the citizens of Auckland and organised capital as against organised labour and against public funds being used in the interests of one clss of the com munity as against another class. THE MILLS UNITY SCHEME. Wellington, March 8. The Amalgamated Society of Rail way Servants’ biennial, conference ir Wellington has concluded. Resolutions were adopted expressing keen appreciation of the able manner in which the duties connected with the Society’s management during the past two year; 'had been performed by the retiring president (Mr W. A. Veitch), and the executive council, also the secretary. Mr M. J. Mack, and the editor, Mr 0. E. Wheeler. Tho newly-elected executive counci met to-day, when Mr P. Gaines, Balclutha, was appointed vice-president. Arrangements were completed for taking a ballot of members to decide whether the A.S.R.S. shall join the unity (scheme of labour organisation propounded by Professor Mills. This scheme, in the opinion of the conference, is the best put forward as the basis for the general co-operation of workers to secure their desires by political or other methods. Tho Society will be represented at the conference of labour delegates to bo held at Easter to finally shape the scheme. FEARS IN GERMANY. (Received 9, B.to a.m.) Berlin, March 8. The gendarmerie are being strengthened in the coal districts to protect .non-unionists in the event of a strike. Troops have been sent to several centres. MOVEMENT SPREADING. (Received 9, 11.15 a.m.) Berlin, March 8. Tho Government has conferred with tho miners and it is understood the leaders urged the Government to cause the mine owners to make a

binding promise to. increase wages otherwise the strike will bo declared on Monday. The movement is spending to Upper Silesia, whore the unions are demanding a fifteen per cent increase. THE NEWCASTLE FRICTION. (Received 9, 11.45 a.m.) Sydney, March 9. The president of the Newcastle Conciliation Committee has called a special meeting to-day. The delegates Board of the Miners’ Federation met and discussed the situation. They considered it a satisfactory feature that they would not decide on any drastic action, unless on a concensus of opinion amongst members. The Delegate Board favours a ballot before anything in the nature of a general strike should be decided upon. A special meeting of the Aberdare Lodge decided that seeing there was a great upheaval in Britain, cleixrly pointing to the existence of a class struggle, they believe Vif the miners of Great Britain are beaten it will have a tendency to lower the standard of living in Australia. They therefore resolved that the Delegates Board discuss the resolutions. There will i)o no coal produced by members of tho Federation for any port outside Australia. They ask miners of other districts to take similar action, also lumpers and trimmers, they demand tiro abolition of the afternoon shifts before March 14th, demand a minimum wage of eleven shillings a day, pledged themselves to assist fellowworkers in Britain. The proprietors determined not to change their attitude regarding tire afternoon shift.