AUSTRALIAN STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 September 1917, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN STRIKE.

THE STORY CONTINUED. " | GAS AND COAL WORKERS. Wellington, Sept. 10. Sept. 4.—The gasworkers' strike too'c place yesterday, 700 employees of the Australian Gaslight Company downing tools when asked to work a cargo of volunteer-handled coal. This eventuality had been anticipated, and volunteers were ready. Within a couple of hours the majority of the places had been filled, and the production of ga3 was continued. The men at the North Sydney and Manly works are not yet out, but it is expected that they will follow a similar course of action when the present not largo supplies of "white" coal are exhausted. This latest development has entailed a further restriction of the Use of gas for lighting and domestic purposes, the supply being cut down to between 5 and 10.30 p.m. only; breakfast and luncheon have now to be provided without the assistance of gas. The coal supply is steadily increasing. Besides the pits already mentioned, where the output is daily improving, two other collieries are now working with free labor in the Newcastle district, the Northern Extended and the Northumberland, and the Metropolitan in the South Coast district is expected to start to-morrow. EFFORTS AT MEDIATION.

The Lord Mayor submitted fresh mediation proposals to the two sides yesterday. In order to meet the Government ukase of its intention to stand by localist volunteers the proposals now embody the following proviso: (a) That where the number of men on strike exceeds the number of positions available the men so excluded shall have a preferential claim to employment in the event of vacancies occurring or additional hands being required; (b) that where the number of employees on strike exceeds the number of positions available in any branch of the railway department seniority of service shall be an element to be considered in according priority of employment; (c) that no employee on strike shaiji be penalised by the refusal of employment because he belongs to any trade union, political body or any other lawful association in which he may Exercise his rights as a citizen. Such employee shall be entitled to have the objection placed in writing, on refusing jiim re-emplovment in the same maimer as an Employee under the Railway Act on dismissal by tho head of the department, and on being furnished with same he shall be entitled to appeal to a tribunal in the same way as an employee at the present timo may appeal to tho Railway Appeals Board. OTHER DEVELOPMENTS.

Over five thousand railway and tramwaymen have resumed, bringing the total staffs to nearly 60 per cent, of those engaged before the strike. A statement issued by the Defence Committee declares: —"The general indication is that an attempt is being made by the other' side to force a general strike throughout Australia, and we see evidences of it in this State and in Queensland and Victoria." The Queensland Premier yesterday wired to Mr. Hughes (Federal Premier) and Mr. Fuller (acting-Premier of New South Wales) that a foodstuffs famine was threatened in the Gulf districts of 'Queensland owing to the holding up of steamerß plying there from Brisbane, and urging the absolute necessity for the dispatch of a Gulf steamer. Mr. Fuller, immediately promised to send a special train laden with flour if the Queensland railwaymen would forego their decision to bold up New South Wales traffic at the border. 'Subsequently a wire was received stating that all New South Wales traffic was being accepted. Mr, Hughes also took immediate steps to send a steamer with necessary foodstuffs.

The campaign against the I.W.W. under the Illegal Associations Act is being rigorously conducted, and several more arrests have been made, and at Broken Hill 32 members of the I.W.W. each received a sentence of pix months' hard labor.

With plenty of volunteer labor to call upon, work proceeds briskly at tho wharves in handliiig the cargoes of arriving vessels and. colliers, but no move has yet been made as regards regular inter-State and overss;; vessels. Arrangements are understood to be proceeding for the dispatch of some of tlieni.

FRICTION BETWEEN PREMIERS.

Melbourne, Sept. <■!>.

Friction has arisen between Mr. Hughes and Mr. Ryan (Premier of Queensland) regarding the hitter's request for Federal intervention in the Queensland railway trouble. Mr. Hughes, referring to Mr. Ryan's repeated statement that he had received no reply to his request, lias now published the text of his reply afollows: "It is clear from your statement of the ease that the men went on strike because the decision of the court did not in one particular please them, thus bringing into contempt tho State court and Government authority, dislocating industry and causing great inconvenience and loss to a large number of citizens. As it is quite evident that these men have no regard either for the law in general, the awards of the court, the authority of the Government, or tho pressing life and death struggle in which Australia is involved, and are determined to accept arbitration only when tho awards are entirely in ■their favor, the Commonwealth Government is of opinion that it cannot and ought not to intervene." Mr. Ryan, in reply, said that he did not ask the Commonwealth Government to intervene, but to allow Mr. Justice Higgins to act, whereas Mr. Hughes' letter assumes that he asked for the intervention of the Federal Government.

Indications point to a spread of the strike, involving the whole transport service. There has been a spread of the trouble amongst the carters, who are refusing to handle "black" goods. The Wharf Laborers' Union has decided to pay strike pay at tlje rate of £1 per week. JUSTIFIED HOMICIDE. Auckland, Sept. 11. A private cable to a relative states that Reginald Warne, who, when attacked by strikers in Sydney, killed one striker and wounded another, has been acquitted by tho court on tho groun'l that he acted in self-defence.