RAILWAY EMPLOYEES.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 476, 31 May 1890, Page 3

RAILWAY EMPLOYEES.

THE THREATENED STRIKE. Auckland, May 22. A meeting of the members of the Auckland branch of Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants of New Zealand was held last evening in the W orking Men’s Club. About 100 were present. The Chairman briefly stated that the main business was to take a vote by ballot as to whether they should take extreme measures by going out on strike, in the event of the Commissioners not listening to the Executive. The Secretary said that ballot papers had been prepared also to find out whether they were willing to amalgamate with the Maritime Council. A member said that as far as taking extreme measures was concerned it seemed to him that the Commissioners had got the wrong end of the stick a 3 far as the strike was concerned. In fact, it was omy from the Commissioners that they had heard about the strike. It was evidently done to lead the public astray. Delegates had been sent to Christchurch from all over the colony, and an executive was formed to do their work. The Commissioners said that they could not accept outsiders and asked that delegates should be sent bo Wellington. It was very well known to them all that if anyone took a leadership in a movement like the present one, he might be dismissed upon some mere trifle. If one of them wrote to the Commissioners itwould beabreachof theirown rules. It was not the Commissioners they were fighting, but those who were behind. The Commissioners he believed would give fair play if they could. He considered that they should stick to the Executive. Ab present there were only three outsiders upon the Executive. He did not think that there was any danger of a strike. They should adopt any means but that. Another speaker said that they could see what had been in the papers in Waikato, Wellington, and Auckland, and they could see what it meant. It was advisable for them to look into this question thoroughly. There were a great many men working long hours to maintain their families, and they ought to study well before they brought about a strike. They were bound to stick together, man to man and boy to boy, and the Commissioners would soon be very glad to listen to their grievances. Look at the hours that guards and engine-drivers were working. Was that humanity ? Was it Christianity ? Let them have fair play, and give working men their rights. Another speaker said that ho did nob believe in strikes. As citizens they had an interest in New Zealand, and the radways were public property. Still, for all that, they must be ready to strike if necessary in order to get the just things they were asking for. A strike would be a calamity for the whole of the country. There was not the slightest doubt that the Commirsioners in publishing about the threatened strike were making a bid for public opinion. They must secure the public opinion in their own favour. No one there heard of the strike on the 18th. The Commissioners had simply tried to get the first blow in. The Commissioners Had sent them a circular that day, asking them to send delegates to Wellington. That was only another bid to secure public opinion. The Commissioners would be able to say to the public, “ We have offered what is fair, even to paying the expenses of delegates to Wellington, and they will not accept.” That was what was aimed at, and they should be very careful what they did before they said that they would not send delegates to Wellington. It would not do to let the Commissioners get the upper hand of them in that manner. Another member said that they were a body 4,000 strong, and the Executive was doing their business for them, and that Executive must be supported. Send delegates to Wellington and then the Executive was broken up. Let them stick to the Executive.

Ibvvasresolved, “That this branch havefull confidence in the Head Office Executive in dealing with the Railway Commissioners.”

MARITIME COUNCIL.

Discussion next took p'ace with regard to federating with the Maritime Council. The Chairman said that federation with the Maritime Council would make them so strong that there would be no need to fear a strike. It was mentioned that it might mean an additional levy of Is per quarter per head as a defence fund. Ultimately a show of hands was taken, when all present voted in favour of joining the Council.