Native Riots.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11, 13 January 1914, Page 5

Native Riots.

LABOR IN SOUTH AFRICA.

THE JACERSFONTEIN AFFAIR.

[By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) [United Press Association.) (Received 8.35 a.m.) Pretoria, January 12.

I A child witnessed a Native strangling and mutilating Mrs Hood, housekeeper at h’ordsburg. The murderer escaped. The mine owners at Vanryn, Eastland, are paying miners special rates ;to keep the Natives in hand, j The Daily Mail’s Johannesburg correspondent reports that a strike of miners has begun in Eastland. Details from Jagersfontein show that the native concerning whom the rumours caused trouble died in the hospital. The order to lire on the rioters was given only on the greatest emergency. Three were killed and several wounded. A lull followed, and then the natives resumed the attack, whereupon the whites, in self-defence, killed three more. Many were wounded,, five subsoqeuntly dying. RAILWAYMEN’S MEETINGS. Johannesburg, January 11. An orderly meeting of 9000 men in support a general strike summoned the Government to resign. They decided that Mr Hoy must go, also to petition tile Imperial Government not to permit the use of Imperial troops j Flag's were flown inscribed ;—“ln memory of the victorious ‘Fourth of July,” and ‘ln memory of our martyrs.’ ” The speeches were moderate, urging the workers not to infringe the law. The police were absent from the meeting.

THE DEMANDS FORMULATED.

TRAIN SERVICE RUNNING.

THE USE OF DYNAMITE.

Capetown, January 11

Two meetings were held at which the attendance numbered 6000, whereof 2000 were railwayman. Although resolutions were invited, none were proposed. It was unanimously resolved to demand the release of thq leaders, the disbandment of the defence force, the cessation of retrenchment of railwaymen, and reinstatement of the retrenched.

The train service is gradually resuming in the Transvaal and elsewhere with the aid of loyal drivers, inspectors and others belonging to the higher grades. The proclamation of martial law is, meanwhile, considered unnecessary. Johannesburg is amazingly quiet. A meeting at Ladysmith recommended a general strike. The railwayman's ballot at Maritzburg rejected the strike proposal. An attempt was made to dynamite the railway lines at Ferreira and elsewhere in the same district.

The strikers stopped a goods train, and drew the engine’s fire.

Burgher commandos are now rapidly concentrating, and by Tuesday, all the main lines and bridges will be adequately guarded.

Eleven hundred natives are proceeding to the Rand. They are being_ sent to cantonments under the guard of armed citizens.

OPPOSED TO SYNDICALISM.

Capetown,' January 12

Apart from considerations Connected with the strike, the mobilisation is considered as a gratifying test of the efficiency of the newly-completed Union Defence Organisation. The mobilisation of the Cape Peninsula is due to rumours of disaffection among a section of workers at Salt River,

Great weight is attached to the Cape railwaymen’s meeting, whereat all the responsible leaders completely dissociated themselves from the syndicalists’ revolutionary methods, and opposed a general strike. Only one speech favored a railway strike. Lyons, the local president, and Harmon, the vice-president, declared that the Cape workers believed in constitutional methods, and considered these had not yet been exhausted. Smith, the railwaymen’s secretary, remarked that the strikers were already hopelessly beaten. He added; “Let the workers consider their wives and children.”

“THE SENTINEL CATES OF

HELL.”.

Johannesburg, January 11

Mason, speaking at the Market Square meeting, declared that the Government had received a bombshell on the fifth of July, and this time would be annihilated. He exhorted the workers to speak through the bullet holes of the victims of the fourth of July massacre at Brahamfontein. They must win, even if the streets were piled with dead. Mason described the corner house as “the sentinel gates of Hell,” and added that the strikers were animated with the spirit of rebellion. Bain was more conciliatory. Ho urged that there was still time for a settlement of the dispute, and suggested the formation of a. railway hoard composed of half workers and half Government nominees to solve the difficulty. He challenged the Go-

“A FIGHT TO A FINISH.”

men’s demands; also in favour of a general strike.

vernment to arrest him if they wanted to. and added that if trying to help his fellow citizens was sedition, then he would preach sedition until ho died.

Pretoria, January 12. General Botha has declared that it must be a fight to a finish. Although not a policeman or a soldier was visible in Market Square, Johannesburg, the knowledge that the town was full of armed men, who had been instructed to shoot relentlessly on the first serious trouble, produced a sobering effect. SOCIALIST HARRISON ARRESTED CROWD DEMANDS RELEASE OF WADE. INTERFERENCE WITH THE RAILWAY. (Received 11.45 a.m.) Capetown, January 12. Harrison, the well-known Socialist agitator, has been arrested for inciting the railwayman at Salt River to blow up the railway.An attempt was made to blow up an important railway bridge at Fourteen Streams.

At Kimberly the points were damaged and rails displaced. Strong guards are now posted. After the labour meeting at Germistftn the crowd marched to the gaol and threatened to wreck it if Wade was not released. A strong force of mounted police dispersed the crowd. STRIKE IN SYMPATHY WITH RAILWAYMEN. (Received 10.11 a.m.) Durban, January 12. The amalgamated engineers and practically all the men in the railway workshops have struck. Capetown, January 12. Half the men at the Salt River Works have struck.

Pretoria, January 12,

Members of the builders’ affiliated societies have struck iu sympathy with the railwayman.

MEN ACTING ON OWN ADVICE.

(Received 11.20 a.m.) Capetown, January 12. The men struck despite the advice of Mr Hap;gar, M.P. The action is considered important, as the Cape employees hold the key to the situation. Strikers made an abortive attempt to induce tramwaymen to strike.

THE PEOPLE’S FOOD SUPPLY.

(Received 11.20 a.m.)

Johannesburg, January 12

Besides large quantities of food still arriving, there is a two months’ supply in cold storage. The committee of public safety has taken steps to ensure all classes obtaining necessaries ing the Federation, and the railway- at reasonable prices.

Resolutions were adopted support-