VARIOUS CABLES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10551, 6 February 1912, Page 3

VARIOUS CABLES.

j (United Press Association — By EI&-- } trie 'ldeyrapli — Copyrtylit.' BRISBANE STRIKE. GENERAL STRIKE DISCUSSED. FOOD PLENTIFUL. (Received February 5, 8 .5 a.m.) BRISBANE, February 5. lb is stated that tho Strike Committee is discussing the' question of a general strike throughout Australia, and this is borne out hy the i statement made in Melbourne by the | president of tlie Australian Tramway | Employees Association that if the strike- was 'unsettled by the. end of next week not a single wheel would go round in any of the tramway services in the various States, and the strike would also extend to the New South Wales .railway service and tliG Waterside Workers and Federated Workers' Associations. Ho added that a meeting of the Adelaide tramwaymen would bo held to-day to consider the question of wearing Union badges, winch had not yet been done, and he believed that this would result in their adopting the badges, And thus secur- i ing an extension of the strike to an- j other State, and necessitating tho in- | tervention of the Arbitration Court.

DELIVERY OF FOOD. Although there is difficulty in obtaining delivery of food, so far there is nothing in the shape of a "famine. The police are still being augmented with increased force. The system of picketing shops is being broken up. LEAVING THE CITY. i The Strike- Committee is issuing food coupons to Unionists, and is asking those with money to refrain, from obtaining them, as the funds are required for the less fortunate. Numbers of strikers are leaving the city till the trouble is over. It is,stated that an attempt will probably be made to re-start tho trams

to-day. It is alleged that men are available, and the question is only one of adequate police protection. Special prayers were offered in all the churches yesterday for the restoration of industrial peace. PREMIER DISSATISFIED. The Premier is dissatisfied with the "refusal of military aid, and declares that Mr Fisher placed the Strike Executive on an equality with the State Government, and refused aid because the Strike Committee objected. THE PREMIER'S VIEWS. ! . PARLIAMENT NOT' TO BE CALLED. (Received February 5, 9 a.m.) MELBOURNE, February 5. Hon. A. Fisher, Premier, states that he has been asked to call the Federal Parliament together to consider the position, but ho considers this impracticable, as the Commonwealth has no right to intervene in a State matter, and why should he call Parliament together to enable the Opposition to direct that troops should be sent to aid the Queensland Government.'lf troops were sent, there would suerly be bloodshed.

THE HON. LLOYD GEORGE. REFUTES ACCUSATIONS. NO SPLIT IN CABINET. (Received February 0,. 8.5 a.m.) LONDON, February 4. Mr Lloyd George, in a speech at the City Liberal Club denied that there had been a split .in the Cabinet and refuted Mr Bonar Law's accusations regarding the over-crowding of the Civil Service and Defence- strictness. He declared that the lowness of consols was due to the South African war and the Irish Land Act widening the area of ..trustee investments, for which the Unionist Governme it was responsible. The vcountry was ibetter prepared for an'emergency than ever before. They would never be able to arrest tide growth of. armaments until .international envEtes', 'jealousies and fears were removed. He believed the time was favourable for a better ' understanding between Germany, France, Russia and Britain, Such a result would be obtainable by. candour, frankness and boldness. Money >aved from the construction of armaments . would be better employed in improving the people's conditions.