Last-minute bid to halt strike

Press, 3 May 1977, Page 9

Last-minute bid to halt strike

NZPA Belfast An eleventh-hour bid to halt the threatened loyalist strike in Northern Ireland is to be made! Iby the Secretary for Northern Ireland (Mr Roy I | Mason).

He will see the Rev. lan Paisley and Mr Ernes’ Baird )for the first time since the United Unionist Action I Council last week called for < | the general strike due to 'begin today (N.Z. time). , Meanwhile. 1200 extra ' British soldiers will have arj rived in Ulster to back the I i Government’s pledge to .stand firm against the . threatened strike. i Mr Mason now has more i I than 33,00 police and - troops at his disposal to use i .(in his counter-strike plans. ( Highly trained military ex- < I, pert s capable of running r power stations and other es- ■ •Isential services are , also • ready to step in. . >i Mr Mason — who arrived • | back at Stormont Castle on 1 'Sunday to take control of 1

the Government’s contingency planning — will meet Mr Paisley and Mr Baird just 14 hours before the deadline. After the meeting, the action council is due to hold a: press conference to announce final details of the! threatened strike. On Saturday, Mr Paisley! said he would resign from politics if the strike call was | ignored. x He urged all loyalists not: to pay their rates and taxes, in the bid to force more se-l curity measures in Ulster. He said: “The security) forces must go into the I.R.A. territory, their very! breeding places, and root) them out lock, stock, and! barrel.”