SYDNEY FERRY STRIKE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 64, 22 March 1913, Page 6

SYDNEY FERRY STRIKE.

FEELING THE PINCH

A GENERAL STRIKE TO-DAY

(Received 9.20 a.m.)

It is estimated that the services hung up yesterday carry 15,000 people on a public holiday. North Sydney was most seriously inconvenienced, and the pinch was badly felt this morning. A hundred workers were blocked from reaching their employment by the usual routes. A large number of holiday makers had been carried to the seaside resort, and, the men were prepared to come out ,at, noon ; but, they were influenced by the appeal of the company’s officials, and agreed to see the, holiday makers back home. According to present, intentions they will join the strike to-day, and the whole ferry services will then be stopped..

MEETING OF THE CABINET,

COST OF THE CLAIMS

. SCRATCH SERVICES

A special meeting of Cabinet has been called for thi,s morning to consider the situation. Mr MoGowen declined to make a statement concerning the Government’s intention till the meeting. The manager of the Sydney ferries states that' the men’s claims aggregate an extra cost of £20,000 in that company alone. Some of the distant river suburbs organised scratch services, but' these only partially met the. inconvenience. Besides holiday-makers, many policemen*,, tranuvayrnen, and others who Were compelled to work on the holidays, were stuck up and were an hour behind time in getting to their posts. .The harbour presented an unusual n’ith flotillas : of small craft w Vfil ' plying ' opross the __ ustw charge, start-■’w¥ng^l>l%lfra-c!Bwfa‘ upwards, gradually fell to sixpence. : * • i nit jrntf • ■ ' DODGE OF THE KNOWING ONES. (MVIB 8d IHw pei.HfnviT m .nat to .art . Some of the public who were early informed of the trouble secured as many boats and, daunqh.es as possible j before the- proprietors Were aware of . t^ertierup^-and; made a good scoop ply- , , ipg, for hire. There wer.e. a. few accidents .but they ■ were not serious in the scramble among the miscellaneous fleet. There was a tremendous rush on the telephones by marooned picnickers and those beseiged throughout the day. Many residents on North Shore are makihg a round-about journey to the city via Hornsby. , As far as possible the tramway depot is relieving the pressure by improved services to those suburbs roaohabh by tram. The firemen and deck hands of the unions are primarily responsible for the strike, but have the support of masters and engineers. The men are determined to insist upon their demands. Mr Carmichael is hopeful of am early settlement.