EXTENDED FOR FREE LABOURERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 167, 15 July 1907, Page 5

EXTENDED FOR FREE LABOURERS.

(Received 9-4 a-m.)

CAPETOWN, July 14.

Until recently Kilfoil's Hotel at Boksburg had been the quarters of a number of strikers, but shortly before the explosion a number of working miners were in the billiard-room, and it is presumed that the explosion was directed against these.

RAND CAVALRY CHARGE. SURPRISED STRIKERS PUT TO FLIGHT BY TROOPS.

(By Mail.)

JOHANNESBURG, May 24.

A strike demonstration resulting in a cava'lrj charge occurred on the Baud today.

An order issued by the authorities forbids the assembly ol six or more persons within 300 yards of the mines.

Tie strikers had organised a demonstration for this afternoon, to take place, as -was announced, at the Village and the adjacent mines. The announcement, however, was simply a iuse to outwit the authorities, and instead of holding the demonstration, in the Central Band, they marched ■westwards lue Croesus Mine.

There was only a small force of police at the Croesus, but they managed to keep the strikers off tie property until a squadron of the Queen's Bays arrived, and the crowd -was tiien ordered to disperse.

lie demonstrators took no notice of the summons. The order was consequent/ ly given for the cavalry to charge, and the strikers, taken by surprise at thi* unexpected action, fled.

The Commissioner of Police threatened to arrest the ringleaders should there be a recurrence of similar' incidents.

The Potcaefstrooin garrison has been ordered to hold itself in readiness.

The strike is likely to fail, in spite of the stage management of the agitators, ■whose tactics are notorious.

Instead of sanctioning mob rule, as the strikers were led to expect, the Government is dealing with the situation with a firm hand. The strikers received no sympathy in that quarter, and they are not being supported by the public, most of whom envy them the large wages which they are paid. Mean-time, the places of the strikers, who are mainly Comishmen, are being filled by Dutchmen. As the labour is not highly skilled, the newcomers will have no difficulty in replacing the strikers. The only hope of the strikers now appears to be in the engine-drivers, who will take a ballot on Tuesday. The engine-drivers are averse from striking, but the agitators are appealing to them not to assist the "blacklegs" by remaining at work. The race issue is being worked for all it is worth, and will decide the ballot.

If the engine-drivers decided against leaving work, the strike will practically be at an end. Apparently the strikers have not much confidence in success, as many are already secretly inquiring about the prospects of reinstatement at the termination of the dispute.