MOTHER COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 August 1917, Page 5

MOTHER COUNTRY.

RAILWAY DISPUTE SETTLED. PROCLAMATION AGAINST STRIKES. London, August 22. Tbe Board of Trade has issued a lengthy statement regarding tho crisis which ha* arisen owing to the threat of the Associated Spciotv of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen to strike immediately ftr recognition of an oi'jht hour day. The movement is limited to this organisation but is affecting the Xational T"n : on of F.a'luaymen with its membership of 14,000, which recognises that this particular movement is intended to establish i special privilege for selected grades of railwaymen, not to benefit railwaymen as a whole. The Boird of Trade has been unab'c to concede an eight iiour day and rethat a small section jf the railwaymen are apparently determined to bre.ik away from the Jo.yal truce hitherto maintained on the railways, but the Board believes the }?reat majority of raihvaymen v.u. refuse to take any steps to jeopardise the successful prosecution of the war. Oflielsi.—The president of the Board of Trade met the Soeietv of Kailwav Kna ineers and Firemen end srtik-d the dispute on the basis that the Government is pledged to f.ympathetic consideration of a shorter working day immediately after tho war, the railway executive to curtail the presort ho-irs a£ far as (onipatih'i; with conditions. A proclamation under the Munitions of War Ari prohibits railway drivers and firemen striking and makes it illegal to apply union funds for strike pay. STOCKHOLM CONFERENCE. PACIFICISTS PRACTICALLY EXCLUDED. London, August, 22. The refusal of the Labor Conference to include delegates exclusively representing the Independent Laborites, the British Socialists, end the Fabians has practically excluded Pacificists from the Stockholm Conference. The conference insisted that its representatives should not go to Stockholm in company with emissaries exclusively choseu by Socialist societies. THE EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS. London, August 22. A hitch has occurred in connection with the Anglo-fieruian exchange of pri-oners. fiermany objects to Hull as a port of embarkation. Lord Newton ran only suppose that the German Government desires to keep up the fiction that Soutliwold is the only route open to the continent. GERMAN SEAW/N TO HE BOYCOTT ED. London. Aug. 22 . The TTome Office has forbidden a meeting of delegates at Leeds in connection with i' Workmen's and Soldiers' Conntih". The Labor Conference erusliingly derated the executive's allocation proposal.-. with regard to reoresentation at Stockholm, which inphjded special representation of the Independent 1/aborites ind other minor bodies. The onference decided iTint the parly delegation should uumlk.T twenty-four. The Peamen'-: Oonfejenco decided to hold an 'nternational conference' at Copenhagen, c'cluding <!erman delegates. It* was agreed to have nothing to do with Genuau icamen after the war.