THE CHRISTCHURCH TRAMS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 304, 20 June 1912, Page 5

THE CHRISTCHURCH TRAMS

PEACEFUL PROPOSALS PREVAIL. STRIKE NOT TO EVENTUATE. By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. The vote taken at the two meetings of the tramway employees yesterday indicated that the proposal to strike on Monday next did not find favor, even among members of the union themselves. The morning meeting, composed of the night shift, was attended by 60 men, 38 of whom voted in favor of a strike, and 22 against. That gave the strike party a majority of 16. At the evening meeting, composed of the day shift, those present were almost unanimous against a strike. There were 105 men at the meeting, and of that number only six voted for a strike, 99 recording their votes against it. On the two meetings, therefore, the figures were: For a strike. 44; against, 121. The discussion at the meetings was at times of a very animated nature. The secretary of the union, Mr. H. Hunter, strongly urged that the men should stick to their first resolution, to suspend traffic on Monday afternoon. It might, he said, mean gaol, and he himself would be prepared to share imprisonment with the men. A calmer view of the 'situation was, however, taken by a majority of the traffic men present. A number of those who spoke admitted that no fault could reasonably be found with the construction of the roster, as far as that went, but' what they wanted was that men employed on broken woric and kept waiting about all day should be paid for eight hours each day. Even wiser counsels prevailed at the evening sitting, when a number of the older men urged the meeting not to precipitate trouble when it could be avoided. Peaceful mctho'lls should first of all be submitted, and, above all, the first thing to do was to approach the board by letter or deputation and urge the claims of the men affected, and wait and see what attitude thl board would take up. That was a more proper course to follow than the one proposed. The reasoning of those opposed to the strike prevailed, with the result that the final voting was as given above. Later. Mr .Hunter, secretary of the Tramway Union, denied having, at the meetings held yesterday, urged the men to strike. He says that he advocated a peaceful appeal to the board, with a view to getting grievances remedied. He made no reference to gaoling at all.