THE RAILWAY STRIKE.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 103, 30 April 1920, Page 4

THE RAILWAY STRIKE.

If the reported settlement of the railway strike should prove to b e correct, botli sides arc to be congratulated. The Government cannot be acquitted of re-1. sponsibility for the trouble; for one j thing Ministers, guided no doubt by responsible railway oflicials, under- ' estimated the temper of the men. But it. is due to Mr. Maesey to . acknowledge the wisdom and promptness with which he acted when the trouble came. He did the right tiling in going to Wellington at once and meeting the men. He and the representatives of the men have realked that time is the essence of the contract, that every day! on which tlTc railways were idle meant] heavy lose and great" inconvenience to j the community, and that on no class j would that loss fall so heavily as on the , '! wage-earners. At the time of writing there are no particulars of the settlement, but we may fairly assume: that the parties have adopted the' wise course of agreeing to immediate resumption of work. pending reference of the details of the di*- j pute to some conference or tribunal. . The public will be heartily glad to have confirmed this reported ending of a grave trouble. It demands a settlement 'that will be immediate, junt and lasting. While it regret* that the men took such a step at such a time, public opinion is solid ; in sympathising with them in their general 'demand for better treatment. The way should now be open to both sides for a retracing of step* to wiser methods. j