NO RAILWAY STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 January 1921, Page 4

NO RAILWAY STRIKE.

ELEVENTH HOUR SETTLEMENT. MATTER LEFT TO EXECUTIVE. I FURTHER CONFERENCE . There will not be a stoppage of the train services to-day, as was threatened by the action of the Wellington firemen in giving an ultimatum to cease work last night if certain demands were not conceded. The New Plymouth branch of the Engine Drivers/ Firemen and Cleaners’ Association received a telegram from the executive at Wellington on Saturday evening stating that work would be carried on as usual. Last week there were many passen-. gers from New Plymouth for south, who were anxious to reach their destinations before the stoppage occurred. Just prior to the departure of the express on Saturday morning the station presented a busy scene, there being a large number of passengers by the train, evidently making their departure homewards and not willing to risk the danger of a hold-up. Saturday night's inward mail train was also very full. The news of the settlement was not generally known on Saturday, and yesterday there were numerous anxious enquiries as to the position. A railwayman, in conversation with a Daily News reporter, stated that though action had been taken by the Wellington branch, the chief complaint, namely, the trouble ?n carrying out the duties through the inferior coal, was felt generally throughout the service. The New Plymouth branch had not taken any actipn, but had written to the department several times on the matter.

STATEMENT BY MR. MASSEY LENGTHY MEETING OF THE MEN FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS. By Telegraph —Press Association. VVellingtpn, Last Night. Mr. Massey, Minister of Railways, interviewed to-day in regard to the railway firemen’s dispute, informed a pressman that there will be no trouble tonight, the men having agreed to leave the settlement points at issue in the hands of their executive and the department. • Mr. McArley, secretary of the Loco-motive-men’s Association, stated that a full meeting of the Wellington branch was held this morning, Mr. R. Carroll (president) coming specially from Auckland to attend. After two hours’ argument the men decided to leave the matter to the executive to deal with in a constitutional manner, with the understanding that the executive meets the general manager to-morrow morning, and makes a further report to the men. A special meeting of the executive was held this afternoon to consider the question. It is understood the men generally are discontented in regard to wages, and this, it was said, made the task of the executive this morning much harder than it otherwise would have been