QUIETENED DOWN.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 16, 19 January 1914, Page 5

QUIETENED DOWN.

I ALL RAILWJYIIEM BACK. EXCEPT AT PRETORIA. LITTLE CHANGE AT THE MINES LABOUR PARTY PROTEST, AT RUSSIANISING METHODS. (By Cable.—Press. Association.-- Copyright) CAPETOWN, January :17. large numbers of strikers are returning io work throughxnit the country,, especially at Braamfontein and Bloenifontem. At Durban, while iKhe mainbody of atrikere at present ie standing firm, there is lifcHe dtoubt tihat the general strike has been abandoned. The colliery strike. dn Northern Natal fe apparently ending. The mineowhers report that 50 per cent of *he miners are now working. Eraeet Preacher, a private in 'the Transvaal Scottish, 'has died at the Johannesburg Hospital. It is understood thait he wae shot by a picket belonging to hie own regiment through a misunderstanding after he had. ibeen challenged three times. CONDITIONAL REEMPLOYMENT The Minister for 'Railways has issued a notice to the railwa-ymen, who ate still out on etrike, instructing those desirous of re-employment to apply to their own centres. He adds tha.t such as are required will be provisionally engaged at their previous grades of emolument, pending 'Parliamentary aciion. Mr. Hoy, 'the General Manager of Railways, 3iae itdegraphed .-.to the disaffected- centres, stating that it must be; distinctly understood that re-employed strikers or 'their wives will not be allowed to use opprobrious terms or to' intinm-Tdate the loyal men:- The penalty will be the men's dis-niiseal. The reason for 'fcUis action is that only 10 per cent of the ■whore of ithe staff has been on' etrike. •...., The employees in the. railway workshops at• (Pretoria are;6till out.- > They express their determination £6 remain firm. Only four appHcoiaons for ■ reemployment have been received. TAKING NO RISKS. It k> uhderstoodS-'ifchai there iwill be' norelaxation of -tie martial law, or restrictions or alterations 6f the military dispositions, until the strike" Jhae~ absolutely ended and normal conditions have been restored. -.. : The aubhorities are considering the prosecution of 43 of tire principal- Salt River strikers under *he Railway Service Act. One member of the Trades Hall party hae been charged with attemptedmurd'er. He ie alleged to have fired a shot during "the debeefcives' raid. TheTe was very little ceseaUom of work in the mines-yesterday. Official tigjfk" grajne~fronv the principal , railway, centreshave announced* that ithe men are reporting for duty in large numbers and all is quiet. [ .--•■- - . -.. MORE ARRESTS. Ai Pretoria .the eteikere are, still out and apparently firm, but 'there r are/reported .to be many desirous of returning. Messrs. Bc-ylbell (Duiiban) rand Cresswell (Labour members of"t'h'e''HtJiise of Aβeerably), and'-Kenbridge (chairman of the Jjabour party), 'have been.aTrested. Tlbe Natal Federation of "Trades announces thai, a ballot -has resulted, in a majority being in- favour of a general 'strike, but the Fedieraitjon has decided to defer action for tibe'present. General Smute hae sent Hhie Government'e (ihanke to &he commandos which were called out, ' pa-rtieiirarry to, t'ho&p ' who achieved splendid- feats of mobilisation in reaching -tlhe; Rand an time toen&Me the Government ibV using jte own' resources to-deal firmly "aibil effeetivelv with a national danger.

. VERY LITTLE CHANGE.

EXCEPT TOR THE BETTER. MANY R AILWAYMEN BACK. I [(Received 11 a.m.) -.CAPETOWN,. January 18. 'Apart from, the Pretoria men,'practically the whole of the Transvaal Free State and Natal railwaymen have returned. ....... .There is little change'in-the position at the mines, but such there is indicates an improvement; Mr. Hoy, general manager of the Transvaal railways, states that- more men are now offering than he requires. Resumption, of the normal service eaily this week, however, .provides for a large number, for whom the administration will presently be unable .to find places.. A report from" Kimberley of: an attempt to wreck the main line apparently arose from the fact that a man was seen running off on the approach of the patrol. The line is not damaged in-any way. ■-.■ ■■•••' c •

RUSSXANISXNG METHODS.

PROTEST FROM LABOUR PARTY. DISBAXDIHG COMMANDOES. LONDON, January is. The National Council of the Independent Labour party has requested Mr Aeir Hardie to forward to Mr L. Har court (Colonial Secretary) a protest from the South African Labour" party, denouncing the Union Government's despotism and the connivance of Lord Gladstone (Governor-General) and the Colonial Office in arresting the strike leaders and suppressing the constitution by proclaiming martial law. - .'.!;, The council expressed the hope that the workers would, resist the Ituasianising of British institutions. ' ~ "'' ■■'- • CAPETOWN,. January 18. The Johannesburg "BBening Chronicle," a Labour paper, appears with the leader column bhuik except for the phrase: 'lie matter iontliis column has been censored." > '■ ■ -■■- ' *•*■ It is officially intonated thatJt the potiey of the Government' to arrest strikers as strnteia. The reete «t Bennni Tufeiie effected yrifh Jibente iniaitiuu bv-th<»-n.»u miMJut :: The burghers- eafled yak. -for

» proclamation releases •them.- The units which have already their annual continuous"' training will be the first released, but these are few in'number. _The remainder... as soon ..as the situation -permits, -will ibe concentrated in the.Control.Areas where they are now serving for,~'the the .pufpose "of undergoing "their continuous training.' ; It'is ".stated, in connection with the general 'strike in the' Free State that .apart from the railway, men the; only general striker was one' who wae. ■qut;for;one .day.!",'

VIOLENCE BREEDS VIOLENCE.

v A DANGEROUS WEAPON. ...... ■. LONDON, January 17. The "Chromcie;" commenting on thesituation in South .Africa, tsaye tb-at violence bTjeeds violence. General Botha's GSoverninefft. will reap a bitter harvest urfees it exhibits as 'much energy in securing red*«es-ifor the workers' grievances ac in arrestdng the leaders. The' "Daily: Newe" cxpreEees ihearteearclrinnti reepecting" the uee of martial laiw. ~ . • The t "lWee£m'inater Gazette" says: that the general strike ie. wholly ■ different from a efcrike in : a. particular 'indiistry. If -there is an attempt to iioM.tlie comjnun'rby..to raneom the community ie entitled to protect dteelf. - • "Most erf the hewepapere applaud the. Goreroment's firmneee and' expreee delight at the success of ite policy.