South African Crisis

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 171, 19 January 1914, Page 5

South African Crisis

A MAYOR A K RESTED.

CALM AFTE :. LflE STORM.

By Cable—Pre*> .Asr,o.iati.on—Copyright Capetown, January 10. The Mayor of Pu.oria i» amongst the twenty arrested at the strike headquarters. He was released on his own recognisance. The authorities at Pretoria inform Keuter's correspondent that in consequence of events at Benoni some hundreds of strikers were arrested yesterday. This drastic action was necessitated by tho extremes to which the strikers went in July, and that on the present occasion they were the only bodies of miners to go on strike wholesale, also because of their interference with the police. The authorities hope that similar drastic action will be unnecessary in other parts of the reef, but they view the strike as being a breach of the law, and it is their firm determination to restore law and order. They* will not hesitato to act with equal severity whenever necessity arises. Seutert correspondents in all parts of the Union show that calm prevails everywhere. The men in the various strike areas are returning to work, and the day is otherwise passing uneventfully. The Johannesburg police raided the Labor Party's headquarters, where a meeting of delegates of the Typographical -Union was being held. It is believed that tl\e meeting imd decided to return to work and iip.i nut finished when . the police appe.in.l ;i::ci arrested all the delegates, numberim: sb.ty-two, for contravention of mariiul l;>w'regulations in holding a meeting without permission of the authorities.

MARTIAL LAW CONTINUES. DEALING WITH ARRESTEES. RAILWAY MEN RESUMING. FURTHER ARRESTS.

Received IS, 5.5 p.m. Capetown, January 17. It is understood li:ere will not Ibe any relaxation of martial law restrictions, or any alteration in the military dispositions until the strike is absolutely ended and normal conditions restored. The authorities arc considering as to the prosecution of 4S of the principal , Salt River strikers under the Railway Service Act. One of the men arrested at the Trades Hall has been charged with at- , tempted "murder. He fired a shot during the detectives' raid. < Johannesburg, January 17. - men have been warned that the/, will be discharged. There is very little cessation of work : on the mines to-day. ' Official telegrams from the principal railway centres announced that the men ] were reporting for duty in large numbers, and that all was quiet. ' Pretoria, January 17. -_ The -MTtyrrs who are still out are .-■apparently linn, but it is reported that t many are desirous of returning. Boybell, a Durban Labor legislator, and Kentridgp, chairman of the Labor-it-es, have been arrested. . FEDERATION MORE CAUTIOUS. COMMANDOES THREATENED. A MAYOR'S ARREST EXPLAINED. Capetown, January 17.

The Natal Federation of Trades has announced that the ballot resulted in favor of a general strike, but the Federation decided to defer action for awhile, : General Smuts has sent the Government's thanks to the commandoes who were called out, particularly to those who achieved the splendid feats of mobilisation in reaching the Rand in time to enable the Government, by using its own resources, to deal firmly and effectively with the nationil danger. The Mayor of Pretoria, whose arrest .was reported yesterday, had gone to the strike headquarters to discuss matters with a view to mediation, and, while .so engaged, the police arrived on the scene, and he was arreted with others, martial law being no respecter of percons. TREATMENT OF RAILWAYMEN". 'GENERA!, :T:!i;:.,;: ABANDONED. A SOLDI:JI ACCIDENTALLY SHOT. • Received 18, 5.5 p.m. Capetown, January 17. Large numbers of strikers are returning throughout the country, especially in Bra.imfontein and Bloemfontein. At Durban, while the main body ofstrikers is at present standing firm, there is lit lie. doubt that the general strike has. bi;e;i abandoned. The colliery strike iu .Northern Natal is apparently ending, a-, the owners report that fifty per ecni of the miners are now working. Joiiaena-! ::rg. January 17. Ernest Piv-.'-hcr. ■:. private in the Transvaal Scottish, died in the hospital. It is under.-iood tlmf he was shot by a picket of his own regiment through n miaunder-faiiilinir. after being thrice challenged. llr. Burton. Minister of Railways, has issued a notice to the railwaymcn. who are still on strike, that those desirous qi re-employment must apply at their centres, addiig, that sueh men as are

I required will lie provisionally engaged .-.( their previous gradcß and emolu--11 jut .t pending Parliamentary action. li. Hoy, General .Manager of Rail--11 .lys, telegraphed to his affected centres tinit it must be distinctly understood i;ii'+ re-employed strikers or their wives w' 3 use opprobious terms, or intimidate tli > loyal men, do so on penalty of the mti'.'.s dismissal. A Labor legislator named Cresswell has been arrested. Pretoria, January 17Those employees of the railway workshops who are still out, express their determination to remain fiim, jind only I four applications have been made for reemployment. The Defence headquarters notifies ] that the burghers who were called out I are being engaged to fill the places of the strikers as soon as the burghers are released from service with the defenders. LOXDOX PBESS COMMENTS. . COWERNMEOT'S FIRMNESS j [ APPLAUDED. London, January 17. The Chronicle says that violence breeds violence, and that Botha's Government will reap a Ibitter harvest unless it exhibits as much energy in securing redress for the workers' grievances as in arresting the leaders. The Daily, News expresses the opinion that there will be heart-search ings respecting .the use of martial law. The Westminster Gazette considers that a general strike is wholyl different from ••_ strike in a particular industry, and ii any attempt is made to hold the community to ransom, the community is entitled to protect itself. Most of the newspapers applaud the Government's firmness, and are delighted at its success. i TRAMSS FULLY STAFFED. , ) . ATTEMPTED RAILWAY OUTRAGE. ' Received 19, 12.50 a.m. | Capetown, January 18. j Creswell was arrested wlien attempt- J ing to address the'strikers. '• Sufficient tramway men have signed 1 on to insure a full service. Johannesburg, January 18. The Evening Chronicle (a Labor paper) appears with the leader column blank, except the phrase: "The matter in this l eo'umn has been censored." Apart from the Pretoria men, practically the whole of the Transvaal, Free State and Natal railwaynien have re- } turned. | There is but little" change in the po- I fition at the mines. Such change as I there is. indicates an improvement. 1

Another attempt was made to wreck the main line northwards of Kirobcrley. It is stated in connection with the general strike in the Free Slate, that, the only general striker is a compositor, who struck for one day. RELEASE OP COMMANDOS. Received 19, 12.30 a.m. Pretoria, January 18. An official notice states that the defence™ will he held in service until the proclamation is issued to release them. The units which have already undergone their annual continuous training will be the first to he released, hut these are few. The remainder will he released as soon as the situation permits. They will ihe concentrated in tile control areas where tliey are now serving, for the purpose of undergoing continuous training.. The Defence headquarters is preparing a scheme for the gradual demobilisation of the burgher commandos. Vigorous'- steps will be taken to summon to the colors all those' who have not responded to the proclamation.