Strikes in Britain

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 54, 25 August 1911, Page 5

Strikes in Britain

QUENCHING A FIREBRAND. jf, Elffi BARDIE'S METHODS. By Cable—Frees Association—Copyright. London, August 23. After Mr. Churchill's reply in the House of Commons, Mr. Lloyd-George read a report of a speech in which Mr. Keir Hardie told a thousand people that Mr. Asquith had declared on Thursday that if a strike occurred the Government would keep the railways open even if they had to shoot down every striker. Mr. Lloyd-George indignantly asked when Mr. Asquith used such words.

Mr. Keir Hardie, without making amends, replied: "I told my hearers that the impression left in the minds of the railwaymen was that Mr. Asquith stated that the military would keep open the railways, and I added that this meant shooting down if necessary." Mr. Lloyd-George scornfully retorted that jf anything was worse than Mr. Keir Hardie's original statement it

was the explanation, and there was no*" adjective within: the- vocabulary of

Parliamentary language to describe it. (Prolonged cheers.) Out of 212,330 miners in Durham and Northumberland only 47,000 have been working since Friday. Owing to the strike 2000 dockers have been rendered idle on the North-East Coast. Insurances amounting to £200,000, presumably in connection with Stock Exchange dealings, and some insur-

ances to cover the risk of ail outbreak of war in Europe, have been effected by Lloyds at 4 per cent, for insurance for two months. A large shipment of coal has been underwritten for three months at half-a-crown per cent. FIERCE RIOTING. TOM MANN WANTS ANOTHER STRIKE. London, August 23. Despite the instructions of the executive of the North-Eastern Railwaymen's Union to the men to resume work, several sections, including that at Leeds, refused to obey until better terms were secured, and all imported labor banished. -There has been fierce rioting at Alfredton in the Erewash Valley (between Derbyshire and Notts). The police used their truncheons and' scattered the rioters, who were mostly hooligans from the surrounding districts. The Liverpool tramwaymen have been reinstated in the carriage works and powerhouses, but "the masters refuse to reinstate the drivers; hence the Liverpool committee decided to continue the fight.

Tom Mann is urging the National Transport Workers and Railwaymen's Executives to declare a renewal of the national fight.

A conference of Durham miners will be held on September 2 to urge the federation to demand a minimum wage of seven shillings per day for coal-hew-ers, and proportionate wages, for others, •nd. failing satisfaction, to ballot for a national strike. UNDERWRITERS' PROFITS. London, August 23. The Railway Commission has commenced its sittings in camera. The railwaymen's executive protested against the appointment of Mr. Beale, solicitor to the Midland RaLway Company, but stated that they would nevertheless abide by Saturday's agreement.

The. underwriters- scored heavily over the settlement of the strike, as there were comparatively few claims. Two underwriting firms netted £70,000. A PERTH RESOLUTION. Perth, August 24. A delegate from Fremantle, at the Trades Hall Association, moved that the association views with abhorrence the action of British soldiers shooting their fellow countrymen, and declares that the sooner a revolution comes the better. The motion was negatived by a large majority. SOME SETTLEMENTS REACHED. London, August 23. The North-Eastern Railway strike has ended, and the service is now normal. The Bristol and Avonmouth disputes have also been settled.

WAR INSURANCE RISKS. MORE TALK OF STRIKES. London, August 24. Further insurances on the risk of war between certain European Powers withiH three months were transacted at Lloyds on a basis of 5 per cent., and, within six months, at 10 per cent. There were numerous insurances of cargo at 2s 6d per cent. A ballot of railwaymen at Crewe overwhelmingly favored a strike unless the London and North-Western Company recognise the union officials; but notices are withheld pending an appeal to the company. TRANSPORT WORKERS' ATTITUDE. REINSTATEMENT OF TRAMWAYMEN DEMANDED. BIG FIGURES FROM LIVERPOOL. Received 24, 9.15 p.m. London, August 24. A Liverpool deputation, headed by Tom Mann, met the National Transport Workers' Federation in London. The latter decided to take immediate action unless the tramwaymen were reinstated.

A manifesto from Liverpool states that the membership of trade unions on strike, who support the tramwaymen, are as follows:—Dockers, 30,000; sailors and firemen, 15,000; carters, 7000; stew-

ards, 4000; engineers, 3000; dockyard employees, 3000; general laborers, 2000; eoopers, 8000; tramwaymen, 800; warehouse workers, 2000. Mr. Askwith has gone to Liverpool. BIG TRADE LOSSES. IMPROVEMENT AT MANCHESTER. MASTERS AND MEN GOME TO TERMS. Received 24, 10.50 p.m. London, August 24. The press will be admitted when the Commission takes evidence. The official report of Mr. Asquith's negative reply to Mr. Bellamy, cabled on the 21st, states that Mr. Asquith added, "The step contemplated is the appointment of a commission immediately to investigate machinery for bringing representatives of the railway companies and employees together, and for the settlement of differences and amendments, if any, which are desirable, in order to improve such machinery." He stated that the North-Eastern Railway Company's loss from the strike was £70,000, and the loss to the coal trade, including wages, £200,000.

A newspaper correspondent at Darlington states that the doctrine of a minimum wage has a firm hold with the railwaymen. The latter are familiar with the sliding scale as regards to prices and wages in the coal and iron trades, and are anxious to apply the principle to the lower grade railwaymen's earnings. The last of the Manchester strikes has ended, a thousand laborers employed by an engineering firm obtaining a minimum of £1 a week.

The short sea traders and their employees have signed an agreement. One clause prohibits strikes, and compels the men to refer any grievance to their respective societies, and for the Board of Trade to arbitrate in the event of the masters' association and the men's society failing to settle the disputes. The tramwaymen who have not been reinstated at Liverpool number 250.

THE PAROKYSM AGAINST ALIENS. FOREIGNERS UNWELCOME AT TREDEGAR. DIFFICULTIES OF MAINTAINING ORDER. Received 24, 11.30 p.m. London, August 24. Rioting occurred at Ikrgood. A dozen English shops were wrecked and looted. Numerous baton charges and the subsequent presence of the military stopped further disorder.

The crowd at Tredegar, in th- presence of the military, have rclin shed their threats to release the riotc; who have been sentenced. Enquiry shows that the present paroxysm against aliens is attributable to a spirit of indiscipline run riot.

Correspondents at Tredegar, discussing the local irritant there, remarks that the inhabitants were always reluctant to permit the colony in their midst. They expelled their Irish co-citizens on a former occasion, and now chose the present national unrest to assail the Jews. What began with a specialised grievance against a Jewish individual quickly developed into a racial persecution, furnishing a pretext for hooligan disturbances ahd plunder. The authorities emphasise the difficulty of dealing with such outbreaks in these long towns, each of one main street, following the trend of the valley, with side streets affording easy refuge for bottle-flingers; hence the need for military assistance for the maintenance of order. The statement of Mr. Bealc, solicitor to the Midland Railway Company, is officially denied.