TRAMWAY STRIKE IN AUCKLAND.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16852, 4 June 1920, Page 6

TRAMWAY STRIKE IN AUCKLAND.

OUTCOME OF JOCKEYS' DISPUTE. M.BOET. PICKETS ACTIVE. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND. Juno 3. A tramway strike developed in the city this afternoon, as the outcome of the attitude of som? of the men m connexion with the race-going traffic, and the consequent action of the City Council's tramway department in dismissing those men from the service. Th.> total number so discharged was between 60 and 70. The men who were dismissed had declined- to run special race cars in the morning. The news of the dismissal of the men who had refused duty reaehtjd the Tramway Union executive at a me.'ting which was held in the early afternoon. An almost- immediate -equel was that the cars in the vicinity of the barns were taken in and laid up by their crews, the suspension of whose cervices was shortly afterwards announced, and by 4.30 p.m. no trams were> running. Some of the tramwaymen were lion" too jnleased with the turn of events, claiming that the decision to cease work would have appealed to them more forcibly had the jockeys not been riding at Ellerslie in the meantime. The opinion was expressed that they had bt'en forced into the position thev occupied bv events over which they had no control. Labour pickets were in evidence at the railway station to-day, but they did not interfere with the raee-sroing public to any noticeablo extent, and no trouble resulted. In this connexion it is worth recording that the totalisator ie-ceipt-s at EHerslis showed an increase of £21,966- when compared with the same day last j-car. HOLIDAY MAKERS USTCONVEKTEI7CED. (SrECIAL TO "THE TRESS.") AUCKLAND, June 3. The scene at the Ellerslie racecourse to-day conveyed no indication that the fleeting was in any way a fleeted by the jockeys' dispute. The attendance was not affected to any noticeable extent by the various requests of members of industrial unions to boycott the Meeting, and the totalisator figures showed a big increase. A few pickets were posted at the entrance to the course in accordance with the arrang.'inent made at the Labour meeting oil Wednesday evening, but their presence did not seem to be productive of any marker] effect nnon the crowds p:ussing through the enclosures.

The majority of people wero not aware of the tramway strike when they left tho racecourse, ami there followed a frenzied rush for motor vehicles outside tho gat.-s, the tnxi drivers and 'bus owners reaping ii golden harvest. IIi ,T h prices were charged for tho run to the city, but those wen l paid without complaint. The nrincioal sufferers by the sudden cessation of the tram service, however, were the hundreds of holidaymakers, including women and children, who were visiting various holiday resorts, and who were faced with a walk of several miles to their homes in the suburbs'

Asked this evening if he- had anything to sa.v about the jockeys' dispute. Sir George Clifford said it would not- be prudent to sav anything about it just now. The Minister of Labour (Sir, William Herri'es) also declined to say anything.

PICKETS IN WELLINGTON'. (JEESS ASSOCIATION TTCMCGRAM.) WELLINGTON, June 3. In accordance with a decision arrived at Inst night, pickets from the Drivers' Union were on duty this morning near Thnrndon Station, endeavouring to persuade mrmbrrs of their union or any unionists they knew not to attend the Otaki races. The pickets report that their efforts met with very satisfactory results, not more than twelve refusing to respond to their representations.