AUSTRALIAN LABOUR TROUBLES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 114, 12 May 1903, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN LABOUR TROUBLES.

VIOLENT COERCIVE TACTICS. • I .« I • Experiences on an Express. BL.O6KING "TRHINS. | Thousands Thrown out of Work. PRESS e©NDEMNATI©N.

(Per United Pres Melbourne, May 11. [ Speaking at the Lord Mayor's bail-1 quet the Prem : er siid come what might,! the community would never allow the control of its property to p-ss into the hands of any section of the community * whatever, and would never band down to their childi ea a heritage of surrender to misgovernment. The secretary of tne Engine Drivers and Firemen's Assocutiw sta'ed that out of between 1300 and. 1400 men, not more than 15 remain in the service. No trains were run yesterday, but the Government is confident of gutting a better service to work to-day. The State has received numerous offers of assistance, and it is intended to run tie Melbourne-Sydney express to-day at any cost, Received 11,10.50 a.m. Melbourne, May 11. The victims of the North Melbourne i ecrimmage were the driver and fireman of the Korumbarra, train. They were hooted and hustled by the crowd, and ' the strikers tried to co9rce them to 1 lewe work. The driver refused, and was knocked down and roughly handled. He made his way through the crowd of sympathisers. Their efforts were more successful with th« fireman, who j lined the strikers. Two arrests were mide. A few other isolated instances are reported where violeat coercion or threats, chit fly from the stiikers and sympathisers, prevented men from going to work. The passengers by the express to Adelaide, amongst whom was the Hon. O. O. Kingston, had an unpleasant experience,. The train was left stranded across the points at Sawell. „losp ctor Leslie as driver, and a clerk as fireman, took charge of the train. Another long delay at Gleoerchy occurred, where another engine was procured, bus it was not suMcientlv powerful, and greased lines on g;ad : ents also impsded its progress. Tho train arrived eleven hours late. The strikers anticipate that the levy on the railway men in the other States • ajoce will yield £2OOO weakly. Several attempts to block trains have beeu reported, Near Moorea Ponds a heavy rail Was phced across the line. The alleged cause of the engine leaving the rails at Port Melbourne wa9 interference with the points. The derailment of an engine at Seymour was due to a similar cause. The g»ds sheds at Spanner-street Me strongly guarded by the police. Already shipping iB beginning to feel the effects of the strike, and there is a rush for berthing accommodation.. More vessels will be put on. Delay is being caused in handliog the cargo owing to the want of railway facilities. The real pinch of the position will not ba felt for a few days. large firms are tsking steps to reduca their hands 'as the result of slackness of business, and it is expected that before the end of the week several thousand employees will be thrown idle. The Argus says the strikers have Underestimated the steady determination and unflinching front which the community will oppose to the attempted dictation of a small minority. The autocratic governments of Europe have a short way through these cases, and the strength of democratic government in such an emergency has now to be tested. All the leading inter-State newspapers publish leaders condemnatory of the men's action, and consider that they have been badly advised and the blunder mugs end in their lasting defeat. SFFJtOT ON PRODUCE MARKBT. Beceived 11 10.10 ,m. Snnrar, May 11. Excepting chaff, which has advanced «1 per ton, and a rise of twopence and threepence in maize, the Vic'orian strike, so far, has had little appreciable effect on the produce market. SETTLING DOWN TO THE FIGHT. GUARDING OFFICIALS AND SHSD3. AMERICAN FBOMIBI OF AID. THE MEN MORS DETERMINED. DISCLAIMING THE GOSPEL OF VIOLENCE. Beceived 11,11.36 p.m. Mblbourm, May 11. Strike affairs are quiet, both sides settling down to a grim battle. The Department did not attempt much to-day, owing to fewer drivers being available than on Saturday, but confined the suburban trains to a modified service on a few lines, the traics being despatched with reasonable regularity. A welcome feature if the day was the despatch of trains to Billarat, Bendigo, Wariigal and Albury, There were fourteen passengers on the latter, while, others were only sparingly patronised. Tho Government have made arrange - men's for the men running tbe trains to sleep and h*ve meals at Spencerstreet sheds so as to preclude the necessity of running the gaun let of the crowd outeide. The sheds are etrongly guarded by police who keep the approaches clear. It is reported the strikers hivo been advised from America that £20,000 is available if required. Tbe engineers executive hive received hundreis cf sympathetic telegrams from all parts of Australia, New Zealand, and elsewhere. They assert their members are increasing, that the men are stronger and mere determined than ever, end that a number of those who went to tho assistance < f the Government have j infd thim. Under the circarr stances they consider picketing unnecessary. Ti ev disd.in, nr.y with the p.-npe! ;>f vir.Vve. sr;c! Ii r-i; [fset'co with ' by rirv.i I'<l6is orators. Til.- t-.xfc-iii.iyr> Hi<: toemUra to take no part in bets of

iss Association,)" | vandalism or rowdyism, as they were I acting lawfu'ly and should continue to ! do so. They chim that the strikers ! rescued tbe driver in the Siturday' night's scrimmage at North Melboorne, MAILS CARRIED BY SEA. Beceived 11, 11.36 p.m. Sydney, May 11. Arrangements are completed for forwarding the mails to and from Melbourne by steamer until the through train service is again assured. The Dumber to-day took large consignments, including English mails. Thess are to be shipped by the Orotava, which is detained at Melbourne till Wednesday, Saturday's Melbourne mail arrived by steamer to-day. The English mail by the Borne is comiDg on from Melbourne, and reaches Sydney two days late. The first direct <ff)ct cf the strike in New South Wales was felt at Albury, all casual railway hands there t6irg discharged. CONDEMNATION BY LONDON PRES Received 12, 0.2 a m. London, May 11. Tbe Standard siys the stiik?, besides being immediately injurious to Victoria's prosperity, is a manifesta'ion of the general danger in the Commonwealth. Ife characterises the strike as a delibera f e attempt of a political party to control the machinery cf business in order to di-itata to the Government. It declares that Mi, Irvine i 3 right to incur any hazird to prevent a section of the community from acquiring dictatorial power. The Mprning Post says if Government rem tins firm, t here is no doubt as to the final issue. It is monstrom that irresponsibla strikers should have the power to dislocate traffic, and interfere with the convenience and comfort of millions of p-ople. . e . Daily Gvaghic declares that 'since civil servants were granted direct legislative representation, tbe actios of libour bodies had bean ell the more indefensible. EFFECT ON TRADE. ADVANCE IN PRICES. Received 12. 1 9 a.m. At a meeting of the goods trade it was decided they would b) compelled to close their factories sooner or liter, OwiDg to inability to forward orders. The timber mills supplies are cut off. Sharp and Sons and James Moore have baen compelled to close, 230 hands being thrown ille. Trade generally is s'agnatad, cumbers of firms having ni'ified thvir hands that their serric s will probably not ba required next week. Trere is jag e.it dem nd for condensed milk, tinned meats and fish, piicis exhibiting a strong advar.ee. Tbe large shipments of wheat Braving will disp '1 rhs fear of a serious rise in breadstuffs. Received 12. 19am Sydney; M*y 11. The Cabinet discussed the strike acd decided to maintiin a neutral position. The recent utteranc s of Mr. O'Sullivan were talked over, bub the Premier declined to state what transpired. Itis rumoured developments are not unlikely. Melbourne, May 11. A train to Albury was compelled to stop at Wangaratti, owing to a breakdown of the engine. It remains there all night. The lines was found greased on some inclines. Wellington, M*y 11. The executive of the Wharf Labourers Union has instructed i s secretary to co-operate wi h the officers of other Wellington unions in giving assistance to the Victorian railway men,