FRENCH RAILWAY STRIKE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 243, 13 October 1910, Page 5

FRENCH RAILWAY STRIKE.

RIOTING AT THE STATIONS.

WHOLE COUNTRY AFFECTED.

MINIMUM 'WAGE WANTED, (By Cable. —Press Association.—Copyright.) PARIS, October 12. According to the officials of the Northern Company, the majority of platform and station hands remain on duty, and the strikers are firing revolvers at them and stoning them with a view to forcing them to join in the strike. The Tergnier station is the strikers' I headquarters, and several drivers refuse to go thither, fearing that they would be murdered if they did so. The company is dismissing from its service prominent agitators, including M. Tallin, the president of the Drivers and Firemen's Federation. The concession of the minimum of five francs applies to the Paris area, and the men demand its extension to the provinces, and also complain because the pensions voted by Parliament are not made retrospective. Automobiles ply for hire from Paris to Calais and Boulogne, the fare being 100 francs. Public opinion in Paris is hostile to the strike. A decree has been gazetted, summoning for military service in 21 days 1369 of the higher officials and 27,680 of the minor employees. The Northern railwaymen contend that this is illegal, as the law provides for the mobilisation of railwaymen exclusively for the transport of troops and war material. The Central Strike Committee of the Railwaymen's National Union has Tesolved in favour of a general strike on all the French railways. British railwaymen have sent a message of sympathy with the railway employees in Northern France. Thousands of strikers at Lille, Arras, Laon, and other stations have resolved to fight to the bitter end. It is reported that the strike is extending to Eastern France. There is great unrest among the employees on all the lines. PARIS FOCD SUPPLIES 3HOET. . ALL TRAFFIC DISCEC-AHISED. (Received 9.43 a.m.) PARIS, October 12. | British passenger traffic to tho Continent has been demoralised, and the travelling public is now substituting | Ostcnd for Calais. There was not a single passenger by the Calais-Dover boat. The agitation against the high prices of food has accentuated the strikers' determination to secure increased wages. The provisioning of Paris is already a serious matter, only half the normal supplies being received to-day. The strike has delayed European mails, while the cutting of wires has disorganised the Paris northern telephone service. After coming into Paris at high speed tbe driver of one train found that his Wcstinghouse brakes had been tampered with, and the train dashed through Austerlitz station. There was a clear line, and an accidentwas averted. The "Matin says that the lines in the vicinity of the Belgian frontier have been torn up. The men on the eastern and western railways from Lyons to the Mediterranean, have decided to strike to-day.

TROOFS GUARD THE STATIONS.

SUBURBANITES IN TROUBLE. (Received 8.40 a.m.) PARIS, October 12. Troops guard the chief bridges and stations on the northern railways. If all the western men strike an additional 42,000 will be affected. The total of 120,000 dwellers in the suburbs of Paris use the line daily, and many of these are now unable to get into the city. WORKSHOP HANDS JOIN. SEVEN THOUSAND COME OUT. (Received 9 a.m.) PARIS. October 12. Seven thousand hands in the railway shops at Lille and llellemc have joined the strikers. MOBILISATION ORDER. NOT TO B3 OBEYED. (Received 12.50 p.m.) PARIS, October 12. A large meeting of railwaymen at the Labour Exchange in Paris resolved to disobey the mobilisation order, directing them to work tbo trains.