South African Crisis

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 173, 21 January 1914, Page 5

South African Crisis

1 1 ■ -ii . ; {•RESENT SITUATION", COMMANDOES SATISFIED. tJ " PROPOSED LKCJlgjl ATION. 6y Cable —Press Asjoci.i. o;i—Copyright Capetown, January 20. While tlio industrial difficulties live by no means over, indeed a settlement has scarcely yet begun, the immediate prospect oi red ruin and the breaking nj- of law is past. The Government's eall to arms was responded to by all welldisposed persons throughout the Union, irrespective of race, pirtv, or the people. The Indiana, led by Ghatidi, have stood* aloof, and the natives, obedient to a message from Genera! Botha, have remained quiet. The issue thus became clear cut between constitutionalism on tile one hand and anarchy on the other. Constitutionalism has prevailed at a cost which in the end may be anything from a quarter to half a million. That depends on how long the active and citizens' forces remain on duty. While gradual demobilisation has already begun, it will not be unduly hastened, and it is noteworthy that the Government, even afteT demobilisation, will remain in control of areas with considerable forces, on the pica that, the men having been got together, a good opportunity is for them to undergo the retraining. The attitude of the commandoes is significant. They came out with alacrity, but let it be understood that they liad had enough of .industrial unrest and threats of social uplieav-.i. and wanted this trouble settled om-> all. There b little doubt that if .he settlement were what they regarded a weak r.ottlement they would return disgusted to their homes and be sin ~- :•:> come out again. They seem, bo\te\cr, satisfied with the Government's firmness and determination. Parliament will meet in the ordinary course on January 39. Although a postponement was expected, this now seems improbable. The Government will »sk Parliament to pass a Bill of Indemnity for the measures t.il ■ n iuring the crisis, and in the presen; -.•mi;..-: of the community the Bill is i:nli!;e!y to encounter serious opposition, vi far as the heavy costs of the cri-i- ire concerned, these will be borne V. iUi fortitude if- they represent the price of prolonged . relief from the industrial paralysis which lias beeu afflicting the country, more especially as they will also represent the price of what has proved to bu u'.e most gratifying experiment in the mobilisation of SO,OOO men, the si'.ccess whereof was a surprise to even the most •. athusiastic believers in the ["nioita newlyborn defence system. Apart from the Tndeimi'ty B'.:i, stringent industrial measures, prmii'ng foi governing trades unions, si tl-rr.ent oi trades disputes, dealing with strikes, public meetings, and the maintenance cf public order generally. ,will be proceeded with. K The session promises to itc a very liea-vy and interesting one. (SErceanwhile the authorities are contiuuing arrests of Labor leaders in different parts of the country, the most sensational being that oi Cresswell. It is reported that Legislator Andrews has also been arrested. With the exception/ of Legislators Madeley ami Haggar and Matthews, general seerf.ary of the Miners' Association at .Johannesburg, pratically none of the influential Labor leaders remain. The present position is that the railway strike is practically ended except lit the Pretoria workshops, and to a limited extent at Durban. Neither is interfering with the restoration of normal train services. The mining strike is eomiag to an end. There is a complete absence of the; disturbing factors which made the July strike so grave. Taken all round, tlfe outlook i 3 more hopeful than, for some time. The Cape province railwaymeh, whose attitude throughout was regarded as the key cf the railway situation, are warmly praised for their loyalty to the Administration, which has had a vital bearing on the i~sue. Durban, -January 19. A number of employee-', in the workshops arc vesu.in r. T-i v t! i-'.anee has " practical! - <!:a;i.--i.cl. !; vburn and Tilbury, i-A.» |>r :r. I .-a! Laborites, have been »nv»t<r.l. • l'ri-toria, .l.'.r.aary 19. Twenty-live have returned to work in the shops. A big 1 crowd watched them, but there was no hostile demonstration. TAMPERING WITH RAILWAY. - EFFECTIVE -MOBILISATION. ' J AN OBJECT LESSON. Capetown, January 19. A guard patrolling the TransvaalNatal border arrested a man who was tampering with the lines and fired at three others who escaped. Two hundred rail'.vaymen signed on 1 at Ccrmiston, and a large number at >' ' Eraamfontein will resume to-day. £ . Everything is quiet'at Benoni. ' The federation of building trades al Pretoria refused to return to work this morning. In the afternoon the police arrested the acting-secretary. General Eyres, commandant of tin defence force, addressing the burghers explained that they were not called cm I in the July strike because they wen only four days old and needed time foi

, men joined from the farthest points. 1 They wished to show that they could manage their own affairs without the help of Imperial troops. COMMANDOES DISBANDING. , IN SEVERAL DISTRICTS. Received 20, 9.40 p.m. Capetown, January 20. All commandoes and regiments are de. mobolising, excepting in the Rand, Pro. toria, and Fauresmith districts. This means that 30,000 men are still left behind. STRIKERS ORDERED TO QUIT. Received 21),, 0.40 p.m. The Vogelslruis strikers have been ordered to quit their living quarters on the property. COST OF THE STRIKE. i SOUTH AFRICA HARD HIT. \ Received 21, 1 a.m. Johannesburg, January 20. It is estimated that apart from the , cost of martial law, the Rand is losing over a hundred thousand weekly as a result of the strike. Two large firms' alone put their losses last week at £2,700 and £3,500 respectively. > Owing to the restricted number travelling and the closing of the bars of the hotels, the licensed victuallers especially suffered heavily. ' j Leading commercialists agree upon the nation of one or the other is regarded prosperity. One authority estimates that a quarter of the mines of one reef are still out. The corresponding loss of gold I output will be nearly £IBO,OOO weekly, ! and about £50,0(10 in wages alone.