INDUSTRIAL UNREST

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 191, 12 August 1911, Page 5

INDUSTRIAL UNREST

THE TRANSPORT STRIKE. SITUATION IMPROVED. CARTERS RESUMING WORK. AGREEMENT ARRIVED AT. TROOPS NOT REQUIRES. /By Cable.- Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received 9.10 a.m.) LONDON, August 11. The situation which arose over the strike in the transport industries, which became very black and threatening ymtcrday, has now improved to some extent. The carters are resuming work, and the orders for the stationing of troops at points where disorders have arisen hive now been countermanded. The meat markets at Smithfield havo re-opened, and private carters are drawing their supplies unmolested. The conference presided over by Mr. Askwith, after sitting all night, today reached a settlement of the carters' grievances.

It was agreed that a six days' week of 72 hours be adopted, and that no day's work be more than 14 hours. Drivers of one-horsed vans should receive 27/, two-horsed 31/, and four-hors°d 38/ a week, and stablemen 27/. The lightermen and stevedores' grievances are still under consideration, none of the sections resuming work until all are satisfied. IN THE EARLIER STAGES. NEWSPAPER SUPPLIES SHORT. ACTION BY GOVERNMENT. (Received 8.15 a.m.) ■ H LONDON, August 11. Owing to the strike the newspapers are threatened with a shortage of paper. Five thousand tons are used weekly, and 10,000 tons are lying on the wharves at Wapping and Blackfriars, not deliverable. It is estimated that many papers have only three or four days' supply. Practically no business is being done at the Covent Garden fruit market. Sunplies are reaching the market by su?h strategy as furniture vans. Thirty thousand cases of fruit are lyi-ig at South-eastern and Chatham railway stations. The conpany's carmen have no grievance, and are not striking, but other strikers are preventing the delivery of arrivals. Fifty thousand cases of French, Spanish, and Californian fruit will be spoilt unless the strike is ended by Monday. Mr. Churchill, questioned in the House of Commons, said that unless a settlement were reached to-day it would be necessary for the Government to make a statement regarding steps to maintain order and food supply.

The Commissioner of Police had been instructed to take all measures for the preservation of order, and to promptly arrest intimidators.

Messrs. G. Linsbury and Will Crooks bitterly complained of the actions of tbe police.

The strike has not affected wool. It is estimated that 95 per cent of the purchases at the last series of sales were removed to the worehouses prior to the strike.

A deputation of Tooley-street importers interviewed Mr. John Burns (President of the Local Government Board) and received satisfactory assurances of the Government's action. It was decided to remain open, the importers being able to deliver to buyers from their own vans. The Port of London authority notifies an increase in port dues of 7 \ per cent from Monday, pending a revision of the tariffs in dcttail.

More than half the motorbuses fcava ceased running. Mr. Herbert Samuels (President of the Board of Trade), speaking in the House of Commons, said that the Government

was taking the fullest steps to safeguard London's food supplies. Peak Frean's biscuit factory has been closed, rendering 2500 hands idle. Hardly a factory in Bermondsey remains open, and many more are closing mother parts of London.

Failure of the coal supplies is causing great distress to the poor. The railwaymen at Newcastle refused to handle goods diverted to London and Lancashire through the strike.

A thousand workers in the Edinburgh Roperies and Sail Cloth Company, at Leith, struck. The men have no grievance beyond a desire to secure for women increased wages. Liverpool is quieter, owing to strong police measures. A considerable quantity of footstuffs has been removed from the the stations.

Two squadrons of Soots Greys have arrived.

POSITION ON THURSDAY. TROOPS FZK THEIR BAYONETS. LORRIES AND VANS OVERTURNED. LONDON, August 11. The strike position has become worse, and all the Aldershot command has been sent to London, the cavalry and dragoons coming by road, and the infantry by rail. They are provided with ball cartridge, and the men are sleeping in their clothes. The Hussars entrained at 10 o'clock, the Queen's Bays and Third Dragoons following. The Royal Irish Rifles and Worcestershire Regiments are at Dover confined to barracks in readiness to proceed to London, and officers on leave have been recalled.

A similar arrangement has been made with troops at Colchester, where the trains are being held in readiness. It is understood that it is intended that foodstuffs shall be escorted by troops with fixed bayonet* from the doatt

The Army Service Corps will be sent with 40 motor lorries to the docks to draw food forage to Aldersliot. The troops at Woolwich Garrison were without breakfast yesterday until troops with fixed bayonets assisted the contractors to obtain supplies of provisions for the garrison.

Business is dislocated in all parts of London.

It is estimated that 500.000 tons of goods are detained at the docks, exclusive of food and other commodities coming by the railways. Many lorries and motor vans have been overturned in the Paddington district, where the Great Western railway picketcrs are very energetic. Fifty per rent of the London General Motor Company's omnibuses have been withdrawn, and 1200 men thus thrown idle.

Australian mutton usually retailed at 3d per lb has now gone up to Od. Mr. Keir Hardie, speaking at Tower Hill, advised the men to make the most of having brought London near to starvation. "The masters starve you and sweat you," he declared, "so pay them in their own coin."

Eleven thousand railwaymen are striking at Liverpool, and 4000 more will ba forocd into idleness. There have been frequent conflicts with the police, who have been pelted with bricks, glass, and apples. A hundred strikers followed a dray laden with fowls., smashed the crates and liberated the birds.

The Lord Mayor of Liverpool has issued a proclamation warning the strikers that the military are available to assist the police. Four hundred of the Warwickshire Regiment have arrived at Liverpool, also police from Leeds and Birmingham and 200 Irish Constabulary.

LITHGOW DISPUTE. OBJECTIONS TO WAGES BOARDS. (Received 9.10 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. The Lithgow ironworkers' dispute is still unsettled. A miners' meeting declined to entertain a proposal for a Wages Board until the men are back on the old conditions. A ballot will be taken on the motion that it is in the interests of the Association to have no more to do with Wag':s Boards.

NEW ZEALAND CARGOES. COVERED BT INSURANCE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) • CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. The effect of the strike amongst the transport workers in London upon New Zealand shipments of frozen meat was the subject of some inquiries by a reporter to-day. From the point of view of the meat companies and exporters the possibility of loss seems very remote, assuming (as is the case in many instances) that the shipments are insured under the "all risks" clause. The shipping companies provide in their bills of lading for frozen meat that they arc not accountable for strikes or lock-outs, but the marine insurance policies cover those particular risks. The season for the shipment of frozen meat from the Dominion is practically over, and the bulk of the meat has been delivered. There are, however, some shipments still on the water, the total on August 2 being about 750,000 carcases of mutton and lamb. Much, if not everything, from the underwriters' standpoint, will depend on the duration of the strike, and on the question of whether or not Bteamers carrying cargoes of frozen meat will have sufficient coal on arrival, or can obtain sufficient coal after arrival, to keep the refrigerating machinery working, and thus keep the meat in a marketable condition. It is expected that in most cases the. steamers on arrival will have a sufficient quantity of coal to keep the machinery working for more or less lengthy periods. A local underwriter expressed the opinion that the good sense of the people of England would be such that they would not permit cargoes of perishable goods to rot in ships' holds. The effects of the strike would be so keenly felt by all classes of the community that he anticipated that the strike would be short, sharp, and severe. In the end he thought that the strike would be of the utmost value in the lesson it would convey to the people of the British Isles, who would have impressed upon them, as they have perhaps never before been impressed, with the probable results that would follow upon a European war, and tie consequent interference with the arrival ol the overseas food supplies. Those who

failed to appreciate the necessity for Britain maintaining a strong navy would, he imagined, have a different opinion at the end of the present strike. It is understood that Tasmanian orchardiste will probably incur much ioss through the strike, large shipment* o? Tasmanian apples being due to arrive at London jnst about the present time.

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S CABLE. SETTLING THE STRIKE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The following cablegram on the subject of the great strike at Home has been received by the Acting-Prime Minister from the High Commissioner: "Dock strike affects importation of meat, etc., from all countries. No special reference to New Zealand. Carters' strike affects London's trade. Terms nave now been arranged for dockers and carters. Coal traders and allied workers' claims now under consideration of a conference of employers' and employees. SmithßeH doing "fair business to-day. With reference to this strike it is anticipated that the men will resume work early uext week."