CABINET DETERMINED.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1276, 3 November 1911, Page 5

CABINET DETERMINED.

STERN WARNING TO THE MEN. ENEMIES OF UNIONISM. (llec. November 2, G. 15 p.m.) Sydney, November 2. A special meeting of the Cabinet discussed the strike situation, and subsequently the Premier, Mr. M'Gowei:., stated that tho work of the port must be oarried on. The Government would take all necessary steps to prevent trade from being suspended, and would appoint an arbitration tribunal immediately to consider the position. The trades unionists, said Mr. M'Gowon, supported the Government's attitude.

Mr. M'Gowon added that since tho commenoemcnt of the trouble, realising that there was serious danger of the strike spreading, he and his colleagues had used their endeavours to secure tiio resumption of work. Ho was astounded at the wharf labourers attempting to strike, that tho deep sea. men should persist in such a strike would causo serious injury to general trades unionism and industrial arbitration, and would lay open trades unionists to tho reproach that agreements solemnly entered can be flagrantly violated, Still ho believed the Wharf Labourers' Union had not gTasped the seriousness of tho situation.

The State, continued tho Premier, was in tho face of a general stoppage of transport work, which would spell disaster to the men concerned and to thewholo community.

The strikers had made a serious mistako in acting as tho enemies of trades unionism, and ho urged them in their own interests, and the interests of trades unionism, to immediately resumo and submit tho dispute to arbitration.

Whatever the consequences, the Government was determined to discharge it 3 duties to the community.

If tho immediate resumption of work on all the wharves was decided on tho serious consequences which otherwise would be inevitablo would bo averted. This was a time when all true unionists should stand by tho declared policy of industrial arbitration and assist tho Government in vindicating it.