The Daily News. THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 1920. A SERIOUS POSITION.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 April 1920, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 1920. A SERIOUS POSITION.

The public yesterday experienced the first effect of the railway strike, the absence of railway traffic being severely felt. Every day that the strike lasts the position will become more acute, even though all that is possible will be done by motor services. The situation is now further aggravated by the A.S.R.S. going out, thus completely holding up the railways. It was assumed that the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, having invoked the machinery of the Labor Disputes Investigation Act, would refrain from taking part in the strike, but the members of that Society have speedily followed the lead of the locomotive men, so that the position has become more serious than at first was expected. The Premier left Rotoma yesterday by motor car for Wellington in order to deal with the trouble, and there is no doubt that he will lose no time in setting to work to put an end to the strike. There should not be the slightest difficulty in both parties coming to an agreement speedily on the men receiving a definite assurance that they will in no way be prejudiced by awaiting the result of an inquiry under the Disputes Act, and it is probable they would be even more willing to resume if it were also arranged that competent investigators should inquire into the whole question of the cost of living, so that the increases should not, as in the case of the Government Statistician's figures, be .confined to three or four leading items. The grievances of the railwaymen have been in evidence for some long time past, and they as-1 sert that they have failed to obtain either a fair hearing or just treatment. Even so, special provision has been made by the Legislature to arrive at a settlement, and nothing justifies their resort to direct action. The obvious way out of the present serious position is by way of the machinery of the Disputes Investigation Act, and a round table conference would enable a modus vivendi to be arranged in the direction of making any agreement arrived at as the result of an inquiry under the Act retrospective as regards increases. The men must be well aware that their present tactics are condemned by the mass of public opinion in the Dominion, and that, by flouting the law they are running serious risks to themselves and their families, besides inflicting unnecessary hardships on the community. They have deliberately taken a course that is repellant to all sane people, and they cannot too speedily undo the mischief by coming to terms with the Government as to resuming work on the railways. There must be some satisfactory basis found on which to adjust their grievances, and it would seem a full inouirv is necessary. That must take time, whether it is made under the Act or by some special commission or conference, but, if provision is made ensuring that the delay will not prejudice the men, acceptance of the proposal

should be immediate. The Laljor Disputes tribunal gives the men equal representation. Having taken a wrong course, the men should, in their own interests, avail themselves of a way out, for it is obvious that the only way of arriving at a satisfactory settlement is by adopting legitimate means and acting on sane lines. The quicker this is done the better it will be for all concerned. ; SHABBY TREATMENT. At the time of writing the prospect of the Prince visiting Taranaki does not appear very bright; thanks to the railwaymen's moan action. This is much to be regretted, for throughout the province considerable preparations have been made to give the distinguished visitor a fitting welcome, and the children have for months been eagerly looking forward to seeing him who will in the ordinary course of things be one day their king. It will therefore be a bitter disappointment to the children i if the Prince is prevented froln visiting the province. The Minister in charge of the arrangements lias treated Taranaki very badly. Less than two hours were to be given Taranaki a province which surely deserves more consideration. Originally it was intended that the Prince should remain a couple of hours or more in New Plymouth, and extensive preparations were made accordingly- At the last moment Sir Wm. Eraser reduces the time to one hour, on the specious plea that it is the Prince's wish. We may be pardoned for disagreeing with the Minister. An extra hour is nothing to the Prince and his party, but everything to the people who have gone to so much trouble and expense in making arrangements for suitably welcoming him and giving him the opportunity of seeing the children. It would not. be so bad if the reduction in the time had been made at an earlier date. Then other plans' of a less ambitious nature could have been made. We must say that the Government has treated the province very shabbily over the Prince's visit, and knowledge of this will lessen the disappointment that will be felt if the trip is dropped as a result of the railway hold-up.