"A DISGRACEFUL STRIKE."

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XL, Issue 9291, 28 April 1920, Page 5

"A DISGRACEFUL STRIKE."

PRLVIe"'MINISTER'S REMONSTRANCES.

WELLINGTON, April 27. Strong condemnation of the proposed strike was telegraphed by. the Prime "Minister to the Loco. Association heud(itiarters this afternoon, as follows; — "Your telegram received, the contents of which I am very sorry to read. il trust that even new wiser counsels jtnay prevail, and that at all events while our Royal visitor is a guest of New Zealand peace may prevail between the railwaymen and the State. Anything in the way of a strike just xiow would be a disgrace to the honour of New Zealand,' and more especially .to those who became responsible for it.* The fail' fame of New Zealand is _.t stake. For this as. well as for other reasons I appeal to your Society to •refrain from your contemplated action. JThe railwaymen of this country have Lad up to the present a well-earned amputation for loyalty and it would be a matter for extreme regret if that reputation were tarnished by the action of any section of the railwaymen." To this Mr McArley, secretary of •the Loco. Association, replied:—" Impossible to hold strike back without your assistance." Mr Massey on arrival at Rotoruu .with the Prmce of Wales despatched a further appeal at <o p.m.:— ; "Your telegram received. My assistance has so far not been asked for. .You to state your grievances ;to me .Hi the occasion of my recent meeting with representatives , of -your society, referring me .(when I asked .what your troubles were) to evidence .given before Judge Stringer's board.of .Inquiry. The responsibility for what may happen is yours, though if I* can prevent lurther trouble I shall be very ■glad to do anything possible.'* The association president and secro-ta-ry telegraphed a reply as follows:—

"To the Minister ol liuilways Rotorua: Your telegram received, and m reply we respectfully desire to remind .you that you agreed to read the evidence, given by the association before ,the board, which was a very full statement of our troubles. We expected ■you to read the evidence and go into all the. points therein. However, we appreciate your offer, and again repeat that we can do nothing further with- ' put your assistance."

' ROTORUA, April 27. j Mr Massey replied to the locomotive ' men's last telegram as follows:—"Replying to your latest telegram may I remind you that it was only when you i refused to state your case to the gen- \ *ral manager and myself that 1 said I would read the evidence which was placed before Judge Stringer. I" intend to, publish the whole of your ■statement before the board, and let the public judge for themselves as to ■whether you wero justified in taking up your present position.-" The Minister'has already received a large number of offers of assistance •from experienced engineers and others to keep the railways of the North Island running well up; to ordinary timetables aud he doe* not consider it likely that the public will suffer very seriously even if the men decide to com© out. . „ _ ... v . - So far as the .Royal visit'is concerned no trouble is "anticipated, but if the worst should happen the effect would -lie to cut all the balance of the North Island inland programme -put. The iPrince woul^d xpturn to . Auckland, whencejba!,would be taken ;to<.Wellingiton in the' Renown, arriving. there next Monday on schedule time. This would mean cutting out the visit along the Main Trunk Line. Taranaki and Napier. That, however, is only a pos-i----.'fcility, not a probability. The authorijties are still confident that the original programme can be carried through jwith little or.no interruption. Tlie one -thing agitating the people* in Rotorua -5s the problem of feeding ten thousand -visitors, including six thousand Maoris, but it is pointed out that foodstuffs can be secured by motor from the .[East Coast in ample supply to meet all requirements..

One incident occurred this morning at Auckland which only became known later when the Governor's train was due to leave at nine o'clock. It was 'discovered that the firebars had been ifcauipered with .in some way unexplained, necessitating the substitution of another engine, and consequent delay to the first train. In the light of .■later developments the incident bears b rather unpleasant appearance.