RAILWAY STRIKE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17980, 25 January 1924, Page 9

RAILWAY STRIKE.

COAL PITS IDLE.

DOCKS AT STANDSTILL. (recteb's telegbams.) (Received January 26th, 1.10 a.m.) I/ONDON, January 23. The railway managers' meeting adjourned without arriving at a decision in regard to the locomotive men's request for a conference.

The strike has Ted to a serious shortage of coal. The Liverpool and Hull docks axe practically at a standstill. Some large coal pits in Doncaster are partially idle.

. It is feared that thousands of miners in Soui b Yorkshire will be idle at the end of the week.

POSITION EASIER,

LONDON, January 23

The strike position is' now easier,

In London a fair number of trains is running, but a further number of "Welsh colleries has been thrown idle, and defections among the ranks of the National railwaymen are increasing. Mr J. H. Thomas has resigned the general secretaryship of the union.

ESSENTIAL SERVICES RUN.

(ACSTKALIAU AJ7X) U.S. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) LONDON, January 23.

Excepting a slight improvement, due tc the organisatioii of men available, the strike situation is not ameliorated. Essential food and mail traffic is being maintained, but passenger services throughout the country are dislocated. The companies are endeavouring to cope with the situation in South Wales, whore the coal export trade is practically at a standstill.

HEAVY. TRAFFIC'' AFFECTED.

(SPECIAL TO ''THE MESS.") NELSON, January 24. Referring to the railway strike in England, Sir John Bandies, an English visitor, interviewed here to-day, said that it was a most unfortunate circumstance, because it would involve the los 3 of millions of pounds to industries that depend upon supplies of fuel. Iron and steel works would be very much hampered, because mineral and goods traffic would be the first to bo stopped, and every effort would be made to keep the passenger service going.