THE RAILWAYMEN.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 April 1921, Page 5

THE RAILWAYMEN.

FIRMLY AGAINST STRIKE.

AN INNER DRAMA.

Received April 30, 1.30 a.m. London, April 29.

The Railway Review declares that there is an inner drama concerning the reason for call ng off the railway strike, and this will be revealed when the miners’ dispute' is settled. The paper says this will alter the perspective and' declares the men were absolutely against a sympathetic strike. It instances the fact "that along a 240mile stretch of the Southern Main Line Railway only fifty men were ready to strike, while in one branch near Somerset the coalfields strike resolution failed to get a seconder.—Reuter Service.

THE FATAL ROCK

NATIONAL POOL PROBLEM,

OPINION OF MINERS DIVIDED.

HEAVY LOSS BY THE STRIKE. a ?

Received April 30, 1.30 a.m.

London, April 29.

The national pool question once again proved the rock upon which the efforts to Achieve a mutual understanding were unmistakably wrecked and the prospects of peace seem as far off as ever. A Labonte stateg that any hopes of immediate results of the negotiations have faded into thin air and the next development lies with the districts, which are not precluded from taking the initiative. As the executive has not made any recommendations it is presumed the delegates will now return to their districts and sit down and await events.

Evidence is accumulating that the opinion among the miners is divided. An increasing section is willing to forego the national principle provided the wage standard is satisfactory. The owners’ committee is meeting on Friday, but it is not expected to result in a fresh offer.

Meanwhile the cost of the strike to the nation is mounting up, but the losses of industry and revenue are at present not calculable. The railways alone are losing £2,5'00,000 weekly, and the defence force is costing at least £1,000,000 weekly.—Tidies .Service.

SHORTAGE OF COAL.

STICKS FOR TRAIN ENGINE.

Received April 29, 5.5 p.m. London, April 28.

The acuteness of the coal shortage is emphasised by an incident on the Festiniag railway, where a driver, owing to the poor quality of the coal, was unable to keep up steam, and the passengers 1 detrained and gathered sticks, enabling the train to proceed.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.