SYDNEY TRAMWAY STRIKE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9152, 27 July 1908, Page 5

SYDNEY TRAMWAY STRIKE.

CABLE-NEWS.

Unlled Press Association -Hv Electric Tolograph Copyright.

PINCH BEING FELT.

DANGERS OF STRIKE EXTENDING.

SYDNEY, July 25. The pinch of the strike is being felt this morning. Though a limited number of trams --each with its police guard—are running to all the suburbs, the service is insufficient to meet the big early morning rush. Workers from the further suburbs are rinding a difficulty in reaching the city, and 'buses and all kinds of vehicles have been pressed into service. Additional railway and ferry facilities have been arranged for to cope with the block. A large bidy of suburban police have been drafted to the city in readiness for the resumption of a modified service. Altogether twenty arrests were made in connection with yesterday's hostile demonstrations. The strikers acted with complete unanimity, not a single regular conductor remaining at the work. The department claims to have received numerous applications from persons willing to fill the places of the strikers, including some from other States and New Zealand. The Commissioners declare that the men's action has made it impossible for them to reconsider their decinion. A conference of the State Labour Party and the Labour Council decided to again interview the Premier, and endeavour to impress on him the grave danger of the trouble extending to other branches of the Government service, as well as to outside unions.

In regard to the strike at Newcastle, up to last night it was only partial. The service is a steam one, and the engine-drivers not having received the sanction of their executive did not come out with the conductors. A partial service is being mainlined. Executive officers disclaim for their men any connection with attempts to tamper with the cars, or with the hostile demonstrations, and lay the blame on the rough element outside. The executve of the Amalgamated Railway Tramway Association decided that no member of any other branch of the association shall fill the place of a striker, at the same time deprecating precipitate action at the present time. There are rumours cf the possibility of the Electrical Trades Union and the Waterside Workers' Union striking in sympathy with the tram-men. A meeting of the former is called for to-night. .

SEVERAL ARKESTS MADE,

Received July 26, 6.55 p.m. SYDNEY, July 25. A fairly good tram service was maintained to-day. Many old servants of the railway service came forward to assist the department in the crisis. A constable accompanied each car. Several arrests have been made for intimidation. One man received a month's imprisonment. Another attempt was made to persuade the Premier co take aetbn on behalf of the men, but he remains inflexible, and adheres to his determin-; ation that the men must first return to duty.

POSITION GRAVE. INDICATIONS OF A GREAT INDUSTRIAL UPHEAVAL.

Received July 26, 4.45 p.m. SYDNEY, July 26. The strike situation has become grave. There is now an indication of a great indstrial upheaval. At the Trades Hall, last night, the atmosphere was electrical. The Labour Council discussed the situation, but great secrecy was main-/ tained. It is stated that a resolution was passed calling upon all unions to strike at noon to-morrow, unless the tramway trouble ended. The Wharf Labourers' Union, it is believed, are ready to strike at an hour's no'ice. The police are being largely reinforced from the country districts. The weakness of the men's position at present is in the fact that the power-house men have not - , struck. The engineers are members of the Institute, and this Lody r.a3 not taken action in connection with the strike. Received July 27, 12.41 a.m. SYDNEY, July 26. The strikers and their supporters paraded the streets this afternoon, and afterwards held a monster de monstration in the Domain, 70.000 being present. A resolution of sympathy with the strikers was adopted. During the procession, and after the meeting, the tram service was stopped by the request of the police in order to obviate posbible hostile demonstrations. it is understood that the Government have decided to take action in regard to the strike under the Industrial Disputes Act.

The tramway conductors are up in arms against the methods of the department in detecting dishonesty in the sale of tickets, The departmental view is that the system is necessary a3 a means to i is-over disl onwst conductors, and that the check now put into opfruion is the o .iy way in which thefts can 09 disclosed Young probationary con. tables do ilia work. The procedure is fur tha secret service men to purchase tickets on the various line*. They take the number of the tram arid the time of pur hase. The accountant of the department examines these tickets and he is able to tell whether the conductor has sold a ticket honestly or has picked up a used ticket, and, selling it again, has pocketed the proceeds. It is simply a check on the revenue and a proceeding to which the honest conductor should have no objection. But in an attempt to arrive at the actual position one is confronted with a disagreement as to the facts. The tramway employees' statement is that the strong objection to the secret service work is that the men selected to do it occasionally make mistakes, and the conductor, the victim of the blunder,

CABLE NEWS.

United Press Association -By Electric Telegraph Copyright.

is dismissed without an opportunity being given him to defend himself. The department's reply to this is that the allegation is without foundation. The men, it is pointed out, have the right of appeal, the court being made up of selected officers. The man accused of an offence may conduct his case himself or he maj have the advice of his union officials, or that of a solicitor or barrister, who may appaar with him as in any court of law. The evidence is taken on oath, and the officer responsible for the charge is present, and thus the accused conductor is confronted with him. Supposing that the appeal is dismissed, the conductor in trouble has still the right to go higher—to the Railway Commissioners themselves. The department claims the right to'Jjinstitute the system as a business precaution. Without it there would be no check. There is no reason to suppose that the percentage of dishonest conductors is high, and it is not thought so, but when the tramway employees are numbered by thousands, it would not be claimed for a moment by even tho conductors themselves that there are not some dishonest officials. There is the opportunity for theft, and the scheme now in' operation, the department contends, is the only feasible one to combat it.