THE FERRY STRIKE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 26 March 1913, Page 5

THE FERRY STRIKE.

CABLE NEWS

(United Press Afs-'.iation—Bff Wltetrie Telegraph—Copyright.) .

GOVERNMENT SERVICE SUCCESSFUL. O WNERS AND MEN' DETERMINED (Received Last iNight, 9.10 o'clock.) SYDNEY, March 25. The Government's free ferry services met the crisis on the resumption of business after the holidays better than was anticipated, and managed to lift all the traffic "without undue delay. To meet the morning's rush four steamers were put on tih© M-f-son's Point run,. ■ As trains and trams poured in fresh relays of business people, the wharves became densely massed, sweltering heat adding to the general discomfort. There was some jostling ant: pushing, but on the whole the crowds were splendidly handled, as they have been throughout, by the police. 1 The Harbour Trust officials behaved well, and accepted the situation good humoumlly. working at top speed. They packed the last possible inch of living freight on the boats, and gradually relieved the pressure. By 1) o'clock the rush was over, and during the. rest of the day the c: . mands were easily, met.

Similar conditions prevailed at the Cremorne -service, upon which much of the regular Manly traffic was centred,. and proved fairly efficient.

The Hon A. 0. Carmichael, President of the Harbour TVust, expressed satisfaction at the result of the temporary service.

One of the factors which helped towards a solution of the difficulty and greatly convenienced t'ho pulfic, was that some of the boats which ran to Circular Quay previously, all went to Macquarrie. Point, where the whole of tho ,trams unloaded. •. The usually bugy Quay had a forlorn appeanince with its deserted _ wharves,. .flanked with rows of idle ferry steamers." A largely aumgented tram service met the pressure caused by the stoppage of the Balmairr, Watson's Bay and other cityside ferry - served centres.

ane public arc bsginning to accept the positilon philosophicaiiy, an,d adapt themselves to existing facilities, The Government is using every ef-. fort to better all'tlie means of oommunication, and order is gradually growing out ©f what at ftrafc--tfejeftti; ened to bo.a most serious dilocation.

The Watson's Bay Company has got two steamers going with scratch crews. *

The Manly and Lane Cove emergency services continued t'liough far from - meeting the demands of * the morning and night rushes. As far as the strike itself, the par*, ties concerned appear no nearer a settlement. Both are apparently determined to fight to the finish. At, a mass meeting of strikers general "satisfaction was expressed at the Hon. A. C. Carmioliael's firm .attitude in refusing to take over the companies' fleets, conditional upon strikers being unemployed on them. The men expressed itltfeir \v:llingai£Ss to man the Government boats. The statement of the secretary of the Firemen and Deckhands' Union, that lie refused to attend the meeting of the Wages Board, which was resumed this morning, until a 46-hours' week was granted, was received with cheers. The secretary added that he was compelled to take this action in fairness to the men. - . The companies to a certain extent stand on velvet over the strike, as a very large proportion of the regulai travellers were season ticket-holde-rs, and the companies' agreements provide against compensation to the ticket holders in the event of a strike, While the strike lasts the companies not only save working expenses, but retain a large proportion of prepnad revenue.• 1