The Railway Strike

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3474, 30 April 1920, Page 5

The Railway Strike

Settlement in Sight.

A.s.n.s. ,B.EsuME WORK.

For some unexplained reason there has been a. singular absence of telegraphic news concerning the strike, suggesting a strict Censorship. All sorts of rumours are current, but zhe outstanding fact remains that the A.S.R.S, (no: the trafiic branch as it is more generally called) received notice that their strike is off, and they were ordered to resume duty shortly after mid-day. No official information is forthcoming, but there is not the silghtest chance of these men resumling work unless their felloW—workmen in the other division are safeguarded. The position appears "more hopeful today than at any time previously, and we feel more than‘ justified in stating that “a settlement is in sight.”

VVEST COAST EXCITED.

MINERS AND TIMBER VVORKERS

SUPPORT STRIKERS.

GREYMOUTH, April 28.

Great interest is being taken here in the railway strike. *‘"""’.-X large stopwork meeting of State coal miners this morning, after an address by the president (P. C. Webb) passed the .tollo:v~ ing resolution, with cheers: “That this stop-work meeting of State miners endorse the action of the New Zealand Locomotive Drivers, Firemen, andi Cleaners’_Association, in striking for; increased wages and more humane conditions of employment,, and We pledge ourselves to support them both morally and financially, recognising that. their fight is our fight, and their victory will be our victory, whilst their defeat would be the defeat of the workers throughout the country.” _ It was resolved to have the terms of the resolution telegraphed to the secretary of the Loco. nien’s secretary (Mr McArley), the Miners’ Federation (Mr Arbuckle), and the Aglinister o‘f Railways (Mr Massey). I _ The Westland Timber Workers’ Union Executive, at a meeting to-day passed a resolution similar to the.eoal- - upholding the’ action of the railwavincn and pledging moral and financial support. The executive also directed the secretary to wire Mr Masseyas follows: “At a special meeting of our executive to-day, I was instructed to wire you that the Westland Timber Workers’ Union supports the rail--waymen in their just demands, and calls upon Cabinet to grant. same to save a New Zealand-wide industrial upheaval, or otherwise to call Parliament together at once and give the House of Representatives a chance of ‘settling the dispute.” -

ANOTHER APPEAL BY THE

/‘PREMIER,

Mr Massey telegraphed to 311- MeArley this morning: ‘‘l am leaving for Wellington presently, but before doing so let me appeal to you to‘ call the strike off until the visit of the Prince of Wales has come to.an end. For this purpose a complete resumption of the railwayservice is absolutely essential until at least the date df his depar-ture.-—W. F. Massey.”

Mr McArley replied: “Your telegrom to hand. The executive expected you here on Tuesday night, and I’ am advised to state that until you reach here we have no power to call the strike off. I desire to respectfully add that delay makes the matter of early settlement difficult. ’ ’

A.S..R.S. COMES OUT.

WELLINGTON. April 28.

After the telegram disclosing the result of the A.S.R.S. strike ballot had been sent to Mr Massey, Mr Hampton (President of the A.vS.R.S.) made statement. to .a reporter: “I mysels and my executive have done our utmost right up to the last minute to avert the spreading of the strike. We had hoped that some reply would have reached us to-day from the Prime Minister that our re‘quest for a meeting under the Labour Disputes Investigation Act would be granted. Had this come through my executive could have stayed ofi the spread of the trouble, but in the absence of any reply, and with pressure ‘from our branches, and also with the emphatic decision by a secret ballot in favour of a, strike, We can .no longer take any other course than that now -adopted. Our ballot was :1 very big one. We have the ballot papers here in our own .efiiee, and if there is any question 1-eased as to the -number of votes recorded, or to how many voted, our ballot papers are open to inspection ‘by any responsible oflieer cf the Gov;ernment, should such scrutiny be de- } sired.”

When the executive of the A.S.R.S. was sitting‘ to consider what. action should be taken by the "Society in the strike, therVe~w‘a-“S a. crowd of several’ ‘hundred railwaymen Waiting below in the estreet fo hear flle"r'esult. When

the announcement was made to them that the A.S.R.S.,were in the strike from that moment the crowd cheered very loudly, and received the news with quite evident satisfaction. OFFICIAL MESSAGE TO THE 1 . S PREMIER. ‘ i The following urgent telegrzini has been addressed to the Prime Minister by Mr R. Hampton, president of the A.S.R.S.: Recent. ballot overwhelmingly in favour of a general strike. Our‘ repeated representations to the Government and the Department that the situation was critical not having been taken seriously_. we have now no alternative but to give efieet to the members’ decision forthwith. For the pre‘sent the strike will be confined to the North Island. (Signed) R. Hampton '(presi(lent.), M. J. Mack (general secretary). . S APPEAL T 0 RAILWAYMBN.

ON BEHALF OF CHILDREN.

VVJJL‘-LFNGTON, this day

Ofiicers of the Education Boards’ Association and Federated School Committees have issued a joint appeal to the 1-ailwaymen on behalf of the children, who have been Working hard to receive the Prince, and now will be bitterly disappointed.

SLUMP IN FREIG-HTS. ANTICI-

PATED.

Received 9.25 a.m

LONDON, April 23.

At the Cunard Company ’s meeting, Mr Booth, chairman, said he was quite prepared for a slump in frcights.. When ‘ the storm was over things would be better. Let us hope the results would be definitely to break the vicious circle of rising wages and rising prices.‘ The Aquitania is being converted for oil fuel. Two ‘vessels have been re- \ eently launched, and eleven others are ‘ being constructed. All would be oil burning. ‘ BETTER PROSPECTS. 4 MR MASSEY MEETS STRIKE I LEADERS. - ! WELI.fNGTON, April 29." ' _The Prime Miiiistter arrived from Napier to—night. A few minutes after‘ arrival he met representatives of the! Amalgamated Society of Railway.Ser-: vants. That, interview continued" for about an houl'. The Loco. men next had their talk, a much shorter interview, and then, last of all, representatives of the First Division Society had a few minutes with him. All interviews were over in an hour and a-quar-ter. After he had met all the societies, Mr Massey made the following statement: “I have met representatives of the First and Second Division and also of the Loco. men. In every case the discussion was quite frank and friendJly. I cannot go into details, and I cantnot say anything definite just yet, I ‘will say that satisfactory progress has been ‘made. The A.S.R.S. and the Loco. men are to meet. me -again tomorrow.” Mr Massey would say nothing more than this. The A.S.RZS. delegates came from the conference sa.tisl‘i'et‘r’ with the pro~ gress they had made. Mr Hampton (President of the Society) said the outlook was hopeful. It was understood that he had some proposal to make to his fellow unionists, and that he was of opinion that ‘the result would be satisfactory.

Mr ‘McAlrloy, for the Loco‘. nl'e:n£, would say nothing whatever ebout the discus'sion, replying mef’ely that it had been agreed that the Minister would make a statement to the First Division representative. The Minister gave an assurance that m.emb'e"rs of the Railway Oficers’ Institute would not be called upon to do work of Second Division men.

AUCKLAND, April 294

A ballot will be held to-morrow by the Auckland bra.nch of the Railway Ofiicers’ Institute to decide whether they should strike in sympathy with other railway unions. The resolution was the outcome of two resolutions today. A prominent olficial expressed the opinion that there would be a large majority in favour of the strikers. The officers were strongly in support of the ‘present strikers, and did not wish to be regarded as blacklegs. The branch passed a resolution eX~ pressing Willingness to handle perishable goods now on handfwhich were consigned before the strike; it also decided to do any work which might be required in connection with the tour of the Prince of Wales.

KODQG WELLINGTON R. 0.1. RESOLU

TIONS.

WELLINGTON, April 29‘

Four hundred members of the We}lington branch of the Railway Officers’ Institute unahimously carried the 'follovsfing resolutions: (1) This meeting affirms its absolute confidence in the sub-committee in any action they may take in the settlement ofthe present dispu‘te;’(‘2) This ‘meeting expresses the Wisli ‘that all Institute members refrairf from performing any strictly

Second Division duties; (3) In the event of the‘Minist.er’s reply to tonight's representations being unsatisfactory, ztho question of taking extreme measures be considered b (1.1; the special genera} meeting called for 1 p.m. to-marrow; (4) in the event of 'trains being worked with -froe labour, this meeting considers that no assist-3-ance should be given By members of ‘. the Institute.

THE OFFICI IXLS VVA[fl‘L\‘l:”-

THE SOUTH ISLAND POSITION.

CHRISTCHURCH, Apnl 23

“Until we know what is goin__;‘ ":0 happen in the South Island, we c:-u's_~.l_-3'; attempt to draw up an emergency timetable,” said the district traffic manager today. “If the men here do go gout.’ of course, we will do our best. I think we will be able to keep a few trains running on the more important suburban lines ,ineluding Lyttelton, but all that depends on the number of men who remain loyal. At present, I have no information whatever on that point.” A reporter was informed that even without the strike severe curtailment of the existing services was bound to -_come in Canterbury. It was stated that in the Chri_stohul'ch yard alone the number of shunters is {fourteen or fifteen below normal, am] that in Lyttelton all shunting has been done for weeks by porters.

MOTOR MAIL SERVICE. ‘ A motor mail service will run on Mondays. \Vcdnesdays, and Fridays from VVallg:lnuiVto Raetihi, calling at posf nfficos en route, and retul'.ning on 'l‘uosday2=., 'l‘]lul'sdays, and Suturditys. St'a.l‘tillg time at each end, 8 -a.m. The tifnc of closing of mails at Taih:l}_)c‘\\'i}l be announced after {tho first trip. ‘ > Letters only will be» taken for the present. W. ' MQNICKLE. Postvnmster.