AFTER THE STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1358, 8 February 1912, Page 5

AFTER THE STRIKE.

ANOTHER THREAT FROM MR, W, T. YOUNG. m EVENT 01? PEOSECUTIONS. An interesting statement was made to a Dominion reporter yesterday by Mr. W. T. Yonng, chairman of the committee which managed tho recent tramway strike. '.Pile effect of it was that tho trams may be. stopped again very soon, for a ]>eriod, certainly of hours, and probably of days, so that the users of trams tioed not rejoice overmuch in their newfound feeling of security. What Mr. Young said was as follows:— 'In regard to tho prosecution of trainway men under the strike clauses of the Arbitration Act, it is a possibility that il legal proceedings are instituted against (lie men, (he tramway eorvioe will again be suspended for some days, in order to ileal with the matter, in the nature ul calling on the mo-ii as witnesses." In reply to a statement by the chief executive oflicer of tho Labour Department that prosecutions would in no way necessitate the hanging up of tho service, because nil the men would not require to lie oil duty at once, Mr. Young added: "There is a probability that, if proceedings arc instituted for a breach of the law I nliall subpoena every man hi the tramway service and put them in tho witness-box to give evidence. The tram service can stop until tho case is over." i S / r, Yo l } ¥ I,W " ot sa - v "I'ottior he had counted the cost of issuing subpoenas to all the tramway men. It would amount, roughly, wo'estimate to ■CIO, and if all of them cared to charge expenses, the defendant might bo called upon to pay about £\W for every day he kept them off duty. Mr. Young admitted ho was giving his own opinion, and not necessarily that of the Strike Committee or of the tramwavnion. ' A MIS-STATEMENT. IT WAS AT THIRD HAND. Mr. Young also made tho following explanation of a statement, since denied br the principals implicated, which ho made fit a mass meeting at Ncwtown Parkin speaking at Newtown Park on Thursday last I stated that one of the (ram officers had been up to the Mount took Barracks, and obtained the signatures of some twenty-five of tho Permanent Artillerymen to servo on the tramways during tho strike, and that General tiodloy had Ik-mi approached for his permission to allow the mo-ii to so act. Also, that ho had intimated that any man going on the cars would be 'dismissed. Sinre making that statement I learned that such is without foundation. 1 wish to express contrition to these men for giving publicity to such a rumour. The information came from a man in the tramway service in whom I have tho greatest reliance, but. it poems that he ol>raincd :t from another man in (ho service. I now find that my statement wan incorrect, and I am given to understand Mint what happened was that a tramway officer rang up the Dcfmico Department along the linos indicated, and as a result General Godley, who was then in Auckland, was communicated with for his views on the question. The reply received was to the effect that any man in tho Defence Department who manned the trains would l>o immediately arrested. It is due to the men to say that they did not sign any document whatever undertaking to man the ears, and I very much regret that through information received I was led to make public what is now proved to be an incorrect statement."