THE RAND TROUBLE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 89, 19 August 1913, Page 5

THE RAND TROUBLE.

THE HAND RIOTERS. Times— Sydney- Sun Special. Cables : J3y Electric Telegraph—-Copyright London, August 18. Alter a meeting between Genera. Botha and General Smuts and tJistrike leaders, at the Carlton Hotel Johannesburg, on July 5, when tin conditions of the armistice were arranged, -a striker called General Botha aside and advised the Ministers t< leave the hotel that evening. Asked tn reason, he stated that the executiv. of the Trades Federation had issue; instructions* that any Ministers foun in Johannesburg were to be shot o sight. Subsequently a Labor leader addressing the strikers, stated that the delegates had come to the conference fully armed, and had an agree ment not resulted the Minister would not have left the hotel alive. A SENSATIONAL DISCOVERY. [By Electric Telegraph—-Copy rk.ii [United Press Association. 1 London, August IS. The Daily Telegraph’s *• Johannesburg correspondent says that a sen mi ci.oiial discovery has been' made of ; bag of blasting gelignite at the cep tral lire brigade station. Bombs, wit detonators, and ,fuses attached, hav also been found in drains in difforen parts of the city, indicating a schern to destroy the city, or that the mis creants are afraid of being caught wit. explosives and after the riots hid them

COMMISSION ABANDONED. Capetown, August IS. Owing chiefly to the Trades Fedora tion’s attitude, tlie Government wO abandon the Industrial Commission and substitute a departmental investigation. A round table conference between the heads of the mining industry, min crs and Labor, will enquire into the strike in opposition to the .Indicia Commission.

Whilst in Johannesburg, Mr Thom as Quinlan and his famous opera com pany, which has reached Australia, witnessed exciting scenes. Mr Quin lan said:—“We had an unenviable ex perience during the performance, of the ‘Marriage of Figaro.’ People wen being shot down in the streets like rabbits. I am quite convinced if tin Government had not stepped in promptly there would now bo no Johannesburg. I personally saw no fewer than eight people shot to death and 32 injured during three days. One bullet lodged in the sill of the windov of the rooms I occupied at the hotel The whole place was in a state of civil war. I was glad when I left tin town.”