RAILWAY STRIKE

Taranaki Daily News, 4 October 1919, Page 5

RAILWAY STRIKE

STILL NEGOTIATING, ~ «K>VERNMENT FIGHTING EXTREMKTS. Bj Tflwtph.— Tim Asan.—Copyright. London, Oct. 2. A settlement of the strike is report--11l to be imminent. . Mr Thomas announced that to-day's jtonferences have broken down and |aera is no settlement.—Renter. The railwaymen's strike leaders still that it is impossible to secure S general return of the men prior to egotiations. The press can offer them an assurance of equitable wages and treatment Compared with the lodbmotive men, but tven their apologists in the press reognise that resumption is essential to the success of the negotiations. The Position is still critical, but no spirit if bitterness being manifested yester2ay is regarded as a good augury. It It possible a settlement may be effectId on the lints that a tribunal or comMission be immediately appointed to ext line the whole war wages question, Ttaking the case of the railwayman first. f Fifty-four service aeroplanes were employed yesterday distributing mails all over the country. Communication between London and the principal _towDs ■as been regularly established and a Quantity of mails sent to European fapitals by aeroplanes. It is under|tood that, owing to the increasing seriousness of 'the bunker problem the British Government has purchased supflies of 100,000 tons of coal monthly bom the United States with which to (apply depots at ports of call for which tonnage will Aejwovided. j The official statement indicated Steady improvement in othen transport Services and food and milk distribu(Uons. An increasing number of volunteers are offering. i ' Excepting in the West of Scotland And South Wales, the situation in the E-ovinces is not very had. Canal trant in the Midlands is proving most Jielpful in supplying fuel and raw material for numerous industries. Although many colleries are closed or fcartially closed, there is nothing like * general breakdown of industry in the Plack Country. ', The situation in Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham is not yet serious. /Sh the West of Scotland 25,000 out of (82,000 steel workers,~and 25,000 miners fire idle. , V The position in East Scotland is not (Serious, though the shipping is tied up {t some ports. . The food situation in lie provinces is excellent. The following statement signed by Itfr Lloyd George is being Sashed on acreens at all vcineraa shows: "The Government is not fighting Trades Unionism which is a recognised factor in the industrial life of the country; but jthe Government is fighting to prevent |he extremists of every industrial body Attempting to gain their ends by atlacking the life of the community and to bringing untold misery upon thousands of innocent people." . PUSH OF VOLUNTEERS.

ALL CLASSES HELPING. J VICTORY FOR MODERATES' EX- . . PECTED. Received Oct. 3, 5.5 p.m. London, Oct. 2. Newspapers have been reduced to naif "fate. The greatest difficulty is being Experienced in their distribution, knotors being used as veil as aeroplanes. Joe rush of volunteer workers has mused the authorities to open fresh enrolment depotß. Dense crowds are assembling at daybreak, eager to do anything. Peers are snipping tickets, peeresses fare serving in refreshment rooms, bishops and clergymen are conveying Rails and rolling trolleys, brigadiergenerals and colonels are acting as porters in moving luggage, city magnates are stoking in power-houses. Twenty-thousand workers are provided nightly with hotel accommodation and meals on a similar scale. Ladies' committees have organised totalis for free teas for 16,000 city girls pn their homeward walks from work. The complete triumph of the Moderate Labor leaders is believed to be assured, as the result of yesterday's and to-day's proceedings. The extremists had a chance -yesterday, when the choice lay between far-reaching developments and mediation. They hold important position in ' unionism, but proved to be a small minority in the Executive Council. They seemed to feel helpless againat an unflinching, determined, and assured public—United Service. />BEMIER'S REPLY TO DEPUTATION \ MUST START WORK FIRST. • London, Oct. 1. The workers' decision is expected totight After a protracted sitting. Mr Gosling, president of the Transtooft Workers' Federation, who headed L deputation including prominent Labor leaders whose unions are not involved Jn the strike, i.sked Mr Lloyd George jjrhether he wished to see the railwayjpttfa executive. Mr Lloyd George replied that he was Mto m&t them, but added: "No--ean be gained by ambiguity, and has been a good deal of misnnderKMUling already, therefore I want to make it quite clear that the GovernWjit considers it impracticable to reTpen negotiations until the railwaymert Jumna work. The Ministers concerned in the negotiations cannot attempt to get! with tiie questions involved while the whole of their energies are devoted Yq Improving mean* to carry on the il the juttioaw"—Aup.-NZ CMa EAST WEEK'S PAY. ttfHß- QOVBRKMENTB ATTTTODB. Received Oct. 4, 1.15 &4»."' . London, Oct. 2. Tft question is raised whether the sovemment should pay the railwaymen's wages for the week's work prior to the strike, wbfch is due. It Is stated the Government had decided to refuse the payment, as the men left withDiit notice. . Sir Auckland Geddes, Sir Chas. Horn* hud others assisted-Mr Lloyd George in the later stages of the conference. ' Lord Bctert Cecil calls on the GovWtonent to summon Parliament. Confidential discussions cannot take plaw «fr L: " parliamtntarv dtf*^-^A»s.-N,Z,

I ■■■■■■■'■■■■ -•' ■'•"'V ■ SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS MADE, TOWARDS A SETTLEMENT, v STRIKERS LEARNING THEIR LESSON. Received Oct. 4, 1.35 a.m. London, Oct. 2. Instead of immediately authorising the strike, as the hotheads expected, the conference, after listening to Mr. Hendrson's opening speech, called in Mr. Thomas and Mn Bromley, heard them for an hour, and then elected a deputation of members to go to Downing Street to interview Mr. Lloyd George. The deputation included Messrs. Gosling, Williams, Clynes. Henderson, o"Grady, Brownlie, and Naylor. Their representations were so successful that Mr. Thomas was invited to Downing Street for a second conference at 9 o'clock, which Messrs. Cramp and Bromley, and other members of the striking executives also joined. The conference lasted four hours, the trade unionists meanwhile remaining at Caxtoa Hall. Th* lengthy conf«»?« proved that substantial progress must b« being made. This was confirmed when it was officially announced that Mr. Lloyd George was meeting a deputation agaia this morning. It is now the general belief and hope that the railwaymen have learnt the impossibility of maintaining the positions they have taken up, and are, anxious for a settlement. The Daily Eipress proposed that London business houses should give their employees a holiday from Thursday to Monday if the strike continues.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. UNIONS* FURTHER CONFERENCE. ANOTHER INTERVIEW WITH PREMIER PROPOSED. Received Oct. 4, 1.30 a.m. London, Oct 2. The secretary of the Transport Workers' Union says the committee from the conference meets to-morrow morning, after which a request will possibly be made to Mr Lloyd George to again see them. Then the Federation will report to a further conference, which he hoped would be even of a more representative character. The executives of alll unions immediately or likely to be involved had been requested to consult one another_ in order to prepare for any action likely to be deemed advisable.— Renter. UNLOOKED FOR SUCCESS OF GOVERNMENT'S PREPARATIONS. Received Oct. 3, 8.20 p.m. London, Oct. 2. There is little doubt that the unlooked for success of the Government's measures have strengthened moderate opinion. This success is shown by the official announcement that 2000 trains are scheduled for Wednesday and more have been secured. This is double Tuesday's trains.

The food situation is even better. Apart from milk, London can lire on the present food stocks for a month to six weeks, while the provinces are provided with ample local supplies, including great herds of cattle and sheep, which are being driven to towns along the high roads. The Midlands and North Leicestershire farmers alone are supplying 2000 cattle and many more sheep, which are trekking 50 miles along the roads in many cases.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.