CAUSED AMUSEMENT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1278, 6 November 1911, Page 4

CAUSED AMUSEMENT.

A PPiEMATUKE STRIKE STORY, (By Telegranh.-Prcss Association.) Chrislchurch, November 1. A good deal of amusement was caused in town to-day by the publication, in n morning newspaper, of an alarming storv about tho possibility of the tramway employees fe'omg out on strike, and holding up the tram trafiic for carnival week. The trams, however, were running as usual to-day, and tho possibility of a strike seemed to be about as distant os ever. The- rumour was published in a sort of "yes-nu" form, one paragraph stating that thcro might bo a strike, and tho next that thcro might not. The whole ell'eot, however, was that no ono who read tho article would have been surprised to find no trains running to-day. Tile remarkable thing is that tho newspaper did not approach the one man who was in the position to give an absolutely authoritative statement. This was Mr. .lames Young, secretary of the Tramway Employees' I'iiion. If anyone knows about a contemplated strike'it should ho the secretary of the union. Mr. Young, on previous occasions, stated that the men were not contemplating a strike, and did not want to strike. Tiioy had a case for tho Arbitration Court which would be heard at the next sittings, and, until that was settled, things would remain in statu r|tio. -Mr. Young repeated that statement to a reporter this morning. "There is absolutely nothing in this strike rumour, and you can give nn unnualiliod denial to it. 1 don't know how the rumour got about: I suppose it was set afoot by irresponsibles, and its publication only makes ono laugh."