THE STRIKE IN BRITAIN

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 299, 14 June 1912, Page 5

THE STRIKE IN BRITAIN

: FURTHER DISAFFECTION. UNIONIST INTERFERENCE. If Cable —Press Association—Copyright. London, June 12. There were no tallow sales, owing to the strike. The appeal of Gosling and Tillett to trade unionists declares that all spare funds are depleted. Leggett, secretary of the London Carmen's Union, has been arrested for interfering with a non-unionist driver. The British Seafarers' Union has joined the strike. There are four thousand strikers at Southampton, and six thousand at Swansea have struck, eight thousand at Bristol dock works have ceased work, and at Manchester ten thousand »re affected. The Teeside dockers decided not to strike. The leaders of the Leith dockers, seamen and firemen have condemned a national strike. The Chronicle does not anticipate a national strike, owing to the apathetic response. PULL UP THE ROADS. London, June 12. At a meeting of the West Ham Borough Council the Mayor refused Mr. Will Thome, Labor M.P., leave to move the following resolution: "As the employers have refused a settlement the Council instructs that the roads communicating with the docks shall be pulled up. PARLIAMENTARY ACTION. London, June 12. Mr. Austen Chamberlain moved a resolution declaring that Mr. McKenna's action was unconstitutional, and that the Government's constant interferences are fomenting unrest. Mr. Leggett, secretary of the London Carmen's Union; was fined 40s or a month's imprisonment for interfering with non-unionists. He chose imprisonment. .... i

THE MEDIC. London, June 12. The Medic will land passengers at Plymouth owing to the strike. THE GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION. THE WORKERS' COMPLAINT. Received 13. 10.10 p.m. London, June 13. The Government has decided to take no action in the Thames strike. The contest must be fought out. The Strike Committee, in a manifesto, declares that it is prepared to end the dispute on honorable terms, but the employers forced the situation on them with its unnameable hardships. The Shipping Federation declares that a national strike is remote. It is asserted that the Southampton strike is of a local character. Bristol is the only port where the national strike has been approved. The Manchester branch of the Seamen and Firemen's Union has decided to strike. THE VOTE OF CENSURE NEGATIVED. THE DEBATE IN THE HOUSE. Received 13. 11.5 p.m. London, June 13. The vote of censure was negatived by 337 to 200. The Nationalist and Labor Parties voted with the Government. The O'Brienites abstained from voting. A score of Liberals were absent. Mr. Chamberlain acknowledged that dissatisfied workmen are entitled to strike, but said that he was satisfied that workmen had an equal right to work. The Government was prepared to call out the troops at Belfast when the right of free speech was assailed, and it was ■equally bound to protect the right to work. Mr. McKenna said that more labor was protected in the present strike without soldiery than previously. He denied that men wishing to work were prevented from doing so. There are now eight thousand men working at the docks, and no room for more while the lightermen blocked the way. With reference to the refusal to send police to Purfleet, it only required the local authorities to show that the cause was urgent, because the Metropolitan police were barely able to cope with London requirements. Hence it was suggested to obtain police from Birmingham, and this was done. He adhered to his assertion that the Houlders' action in filling the Lady Jocelyn with free labor was provocative. Their protection would have necessitated the withdrawal of the police, thus sacrificing the public interest.