STRIKERS DIVIDED

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 181, 28 April 1924, Page 7

STRIKERS DIVIDED

NUMBER OF MEN RETURNING TO-DAY NEW COMMISSION PROPOSED BY A.S.R.S. TRAIN' SERVICES EXTENDING STEADILY There is a distinct improvement in the railway strike situation. Train services to the suburbs were successfully maintained on Saturday, and in addition the racing public were well catered for. Negotiations were reopened by the A.S.R.S at midday on Saturday for a new commission, to which Cabinet has not yet replied. It was announced late last night by the Geneiai Manager of Railways that a number of men were prepared to return to work to-day, and this statement, following on the gradual extension of .the railway services throughout the Dominion, the absence of any marked interference, and the lack of widely-heralded support, seems to indicate that the strike is failing in its object of holding up the traffic of the pousrtiy. MW ANXIOUS AND READY TO-RESUME GENERAL MANAGER’S FORECAST "I am anticipating the return of a number of men to work to-morrow,” said the General Manager of Railways (Mr. R. W. McVilly) to a Dominion representative last night. “1 have received information from all centres that there are men anxious and ready to come back, including guards and others necessary to the running of the trains. I think I will have even better news for you to-morrow. The children from the Hutt Valley will be brought in to visit the warships early in the week, and later on I hope to be able to arrange trains to bring them in from the Manawatu and Wairarapa.” ~

A NEW COMMISSION A.S.R.S. PROPOSAL CABINET MAY DECIDE TO-DAY On Saturday the executive of the 'A.S.R.S. submitted proposals to the Government for a new commission to be set up. The letter was as under: — The Hon. Minister of Railways. Sir,—l am instructed by my executive to advise you that they have decided to make the following proposal to the Government, with a view to opening negotiations for the settlement of the present dispute, i.e., that a commission bo set up consisting of the following representative gentlemen Messrs. J. H. Gunson, Auckland; W. D. Hunt, Wellington; J. D. Clond - liffe, Christchurch; J. Boyds, Christchurch; James Begg, Dunedin; R. A. Anderson, Invercargill. These gentlemen to inquire into and report on the matters in dispute, first dealing with and coming to a decision on the question of, wages, this being the vital question; all other matters to be dealt with at such time and place as the board may decide. If this is acceptable to the Government, the society agrees to call off the strike from the date on which the board commences its sitting. Trusting to receive an early and fa<vourable reply,—l have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant, (Sgd.) M. J. MACK, General Secretary. The following reply to the society’s letter was received by Mr. Mack at 1 o’clock in the afternoon: — The General Secretary, A.S.R.S., Dear Sir,—l have to acknowledge receipt of vour letter of even date suggesting that a committee of gentlemen not associated with the Government or your society be set up to go into the matters at present in dispute between the society and the Government, the question of wages to be first dealt with, and the other matters as the committee may decide ; also submitting for consideration the names of certain gentlemen. p In reply, I have to inform you that I shall place the society’s suggestions before my colleagues as soon as it is possible to convene a meeting of Cabinet to consider the proposal.—Yours faithfully, J. G. COATES, Minister of Railways. The entertainment of the distinguished naval guests occupied the Prime Minister and Ministers on Saturday afternoon, and so far Cabinet has not met to consider the proposals submitted to the Minister. It may do so to-day. LOCAL SERVICES. SUBURBAN TRAINS TO-DAY Trains were run to the Hutt Valley yesterday, to the great convenience of the public. To-day a mail train will leave Wellington for Napier at 9.10 a.m., and suburban trains will run as follows:— From Wellington—For Upper Hutt, 6.30 a.m. and 5.7 p.m.; for Lower Hutt, 7 a.m., 8 a.m., 4.30 p.m., and 5.35 p.m.; for Plimmerton, 6.15 a.m. and 5 p.m.; for Johnsonville, 6.45 a.m. and 5.25 p.m. For Wellington—From Upper Hutt, 8.4 a.m. and 6.20 p.m.; from Lower Hutt 7.30 a.m., 8.30 a.m., 5 p.im, and 6.5 p.m.; from Johnsonville, 7.25 a.m. and (5 p.m. ; from Plimmerton, 7.30 a.m. and 6.15 p.m. Saturday's Holiday Traffic. A large number of suburban passengers were brought into Wellington on Saturday morning and conveyed to the suburbs again after midday. Tn addition, four trains were run to the Trentbam races, conveying 3600 passengers, including 500 of the men of the'fleet. There was no hitch in the services, and the trains were got away with commendable promptitude, with a few unavoidable exceptions. A peculiar feature of the stations was the deserted appearance of the yards after the trains were gone, but the crowds at Lambton were quite reminiscent of the old race days.

DOMINION SERVICES EXTENDING

The position in the rest of the Dominion, as reported by the General Manager of Railways last night, is as encouraging as the local success o. the Department in grappling with the position. . , . In the Auckland district, from Auckland to Pukekohe, four trains are running to-day, from Auckland to Papa* tcetoe 4 trains, Auckland to Frankton 2 trains, between Newmarket and Henderson 8 trains. In Canterbury trains are running between Lyttelton and Christchurch (passenger services and two goods trains), and trains are running on the Snringfield and Waikare and between Christchurch and Oamaru. lines and between Christchurch and Oamaru. “SOLID TO A MAN” CONFIDENCE IN EXECUTIVE Mr. A. L. Monteith, M.P., and Mr. M. Connelly, president of the A.S.R.S., addressed a largo public meeting at Paekakariki yesterday, and at the conclusion were accorded a hearty vote of thanks. “As a result of _ the visit,” said Mr. Connelly last night,. “I am convinced that the men there are solid to a man, and are quite prepared to fight the case for an existence to a finish.” At Petone, Mr. M. J. Mack was accorded a vote of thanks and renewed confidence, after addressing railwaymen.

A fullv-attended meeting of members of the Thorndon branch of the A.S.R.S. was held yesterday afternoon. Addresses were delivered by Messrs. AL J. O’Connor and. J- Churchouse, members of the council, who explained the position of the dispute to. date. At the conclusion of the meeting, the following resolution was unanimously carried:—“That the councillors be thanked lor their addresses, and we .express our continued confidence in the Executive Council.” “INTENSE SOLIDARITY.”

The Railway Department’s statement that it had received a number of offers from railwaymen on strike who were willing to return to work was referred on Saturday to Mr. M. Connelly, president of the Amalgamated Society. Air. Connelly said that ths society anticipated that some such manoeuvre would be tried to stamped© its members, “We hay© 10,067 members of our organisation,” continued Air. Connelly, “and out of this number only two have remained at work. This is sufficiently strong evidence of the intense, solidarity of the members. Our organisation is thoroughly in touch with every phase of the struggle throughout the Dominion. Our information is not confined to Wellington, and it justifies in© in saying that we are not distracted by the departmental report. In any case we do not believe that any members of on’r organisation will so far forget their responsibility to their mates as to return to work until instructed by their executive.” A.S.R.S. WILL STAND BY ALL MEN INVOLVED.

The following telegrams have passed between the Auckland branch of the A.S.R.S. and the head office, Wellington:—“Meeting of E.F.C.A. carried the following lesolutien here hist night: ‘We consider tho methods used by the grand council executive are only strike-breaking methods, and to call th© grand council together immediately, failing this we shall take matters in our own hands.’ ’

To secretary Auckland branch, A.S.R.S.: “Advise locomotive men that A.S.R.S. stands by all mon who become involved, and that reinstatement and no victimisation will bo first condition of settlement. —(Signed) Mack.’’ A.S.R.S. RESOURCES. The A.S.R.S. is looked upon as the most wealthy of the unions, but there are 12,000 io 13,000 memliers, and it would need an enormous fund to provide strike pay. In cash and property the total funds, which include £lO,OOO in Wellington Harbour Board debentures, £lOOO in War Bonds, and most of the balance in city property, arc about £20,000. Almost all the coal miners are out of work, and it remains for the other unions to provide the meanc to continue the strike. When

it is remembered that four-fifths of the money subscribed in aid of the coal miners’ strike came from Australia., the prospect of substantial financial help in the Dominion in the present case does not look too hopeful. SKELETON SERVICES AT AUCKLAND CEMENT WORKS CLOSE DOWN Hr Teleghafh—Press Association. Auckland, April 26 A skeleton train service to Papatoetoe, on the south suburban line, was inaugurated to-day, when four trains ran at long intervals without untoward incident. It is proposed to run . a train from Frankton on Monday, returning in the afternoon. The suburban service also will be extended. Wilson’s cement works at Warkworth have been closed owing to lack of coal. A hundred men are idle. The plant at Portland is running ,at half capacity. Wilson’s coal mine at Hikurangi has also been closed, involving the laying off of 115 men. TRAINS TO RUN TO-DAY AT CHRISTCHURCH MOTOR SERVICES WELL ORGANISED Christchurch, April 27. v Something like a skeleton service may be instituted on Monday if present intentions are carried out. There will be three trains each way on the Christchurch-Lyttelton line, with possibly a goods train each way as well. At 9 a.m. a mixed train is to leave for Oamaru ; it is also intended that a mixed train each way shall be run on the Christchurch-Waikari line. It is hoped that on each alternate day there will be a service between Christchurch and Oamaru. There is a great amount of motor traffic for both passengers and goods between Christchurch and LytteltonThe Public Works Department has instructed the Sumner Borough Council to put a large gang of men on to repairs on the Sumner-Lyttelton road at the Government’s expense. The gang started work this morning. Charabanc passenger services to all parts of the South Island are now in full swing. Yesterday and to-day large cars belonging to various companies took scores of passengers to Timasu, Dunedin, and Invercargill, and, in addition, the service to Greymouth was re-established, the slips in Otira Gorge having been reported clear. The Hanmer and Kaikoura routes were also busy. A cargo of 4000 tons of Australian wheat from Geelong, sent to Lyttelton by the Union Company’s steamer Kaikorai, has been diverted to Auckland because the port is virtually closed to cargo on account of the strike. NO TRAINS RUNNING IN WESTLAND MOTOR SERVICES HELD UP BY WEATHER. By Telegraph—Press Association. Creymouth, April 27. No trains are running on the Westland section a s yet. The steamer Alexander wfta partly unloaded on Saturday, the cargo going by lorries direct to consignees. The steamer Kittawa, though bunkered, has been delayed in her departure for Australia by the weather conditions. The rains yesterday also caused a further hold-up of overland motor traffic. The Waimakariri is uncrossablo by cars, several of which are held up at Bealey, and others are delayed on the West Coast side by road defects at Wainihinihi. It is understood that the locomotive men have intimated that if there is a food shortage along the Otira line they will provide a train to meet the difficulty. There have been no shipping movements over the local bar since the strike began. A mass meeting of the. A.S.R.S. carried a motion in appreciation of the action of the R. 0.1. and the E.F.C.A. in refusing to do any work other than ordinary duty, which they trusted would bring about a speedy termination of the trouble; also assuring them that in the event of any victimisation of their members the branch would stand solidly behind them in any action deemed necessary, and recommending the A.S.R.S. executive to support the resolution. POSITION AT DUNEDIN EFFORTS TO EXTEND SERVICE Auckland, April 26. The railway is still running a skeleton service to Oamaru and Outran!. Oh Monday an effort will be made to re-establish commurication with Invercargill. The difficulty is still to find guards. The strikers continue to show a solid front, and say they are determined to see the thing through. The transport committee report that over 20 heavy motor-lorries have already been promised for the carriage of fruit and other produce in the country districts. COAL IN KEEN DEMAND STOCKS OF PETROL AMPLE. Dunedin, April 27. The usual household grades of coal are in keen demand. Merchants, fearing attempts at hoarding, are regulating the output from their yards, only a bag or two at a time being doled out. "This must not lie accepted as an indication that merchants fear a long-drawn-out struggle, but is merely a precautionary measure, and one which will not bear hardly ° n anyone, but will rather tend to place everyone on an equal footing. Notwithstanding that mileages of most motor-carg and lorries have been largely increased as a result of the strike, supplies of petrol and other spirits are still ample. It so happened that motor spirit merchants had heavy stocks in hand prior to the commencement of the trouble, so there need ho no anxiety with regard to the supply. While much mail matter is proceeding bv motor, the Postal Department is using steamers when they are nvaliable. r I bo Naviis took a mail on Saturday afternoon for Canterbury. the West Coast, and the North Island. The council of the Chamber of Commerce resolved that while not presuming, to express an opinion as to the merits of the claims of the A.S.R.S., the meeting strongly deprecated the society's action m calling a strike which penalised all sections of the community when the matter in dispute ought to have been settled bv arbitration, and now supported the Government in resisting coercion by the means adopted. WATER ST DE RS UN LO ADING WHEAT CARGO. Dunedin. April 26. The steamer Kauri which brought an undischarged cargo of wheat from Timaru is being unloaded here, the watersidera msAing no demur.

BANANAS FOR WELLINGTON MARKET BEING OVE.RLANDED FROM NEW PLYMOUTH. Wanganui. April 27. There is no change in tho strike situation. Motors continue to maintain regular services. Two lorries loaded with bananas passed through the town today. cn route from New Plymouth to Wellington and Feilding Respectively. The bananas were brought from Auckland to New Plymouth by the Rarawa. FREEZING WORKS TO OPEN Christchurch, April 27. The Canterbury Frozen Meat Company will reopen all its works t.o-nioi-row, and the Aew Zealand Refiigeiating Company will open on Tuesday. A good deal of fat stock has been brought in by road. “THE THIRD PARTY” A PAHIATUA RESOLUTION. Pahiatua, April 26. A large meeting of citizens and farmers this afternoon resolved as follows:—“This meeting, being representative of the third party to the dispute, emphatically protests against a hold-up of the business of the country, and demands that steps be immediately token to bring about a satisfactory settlement.” It was further suggested that a committee bo immediately set up, comprising five independent business men, who should add three reasonable railway employees, also three appointees of the Government, to their number for the purpose of adjusting anomalies if such were found to exist in the second division. Pending the bringing down of such a report the service be immediately resumed. Tlie meeting also placed on record its appreciation of tlie reasona,ble attitude asumed by tho first division and the E.F.C.A. during the dispute, and trusted that the lead given by these two great bodies would have the effect of drawing together the owners and the workers on the railways. DISCHARGE OF TIMBER AT NEW PLYMOUTH Nev/ Plymouth, April 26. As a result of the strike, the steamer Tees is discharging 82,000 feet of timber at the unfinished new wharf, being the first merchant ship to berth there. The timber will bo removed from there by motor vehicles. TAUMARUNUI’S ISOLATION Taumarunui, April 26. A public meeting on Thursday night decided to send a telegram to the Prime Minister, pointing out the isolated position in which the town was placed as the result of tho strike. HEAVY MOTOR TRAFFIC ROADS BEING BADLY CUT UP. Levin, April 26. The Horowhenua County Council is responsible for the maintenance of 50 miles of main highway, which already has been damaged to tho extent of £7OOO or £BOOO by the stream of motor traffic. Fifty men and nine motorlorries have been put on, but doubt is expressed of their ability to keep the road open. The speed of the lorry traffic is said to be the chief factor in the disintegration of the surface of the road. LABOUR PARTY AND THE STRIKE MR. SEMPLE REPUDIATES A SUGGESTION. Dunedin, April 2G. Mr. R. Semple this morning repudiated a suggestion that the Labour Party was using tho present trouble for political purposes as < mphasised in Mr. Isitt’s renly to Mr. Holland. The party had nothing to do with the creation of trouble. Its action was taken, not to extend the trouble, but to put the men’s claims before the public with the object of a fair settlement. The Public Service was permeated with discontent. The Labour Party wanted an efficient and contented service. The party had held out the olive branch since the struggle started. MESSAGE FROM OAMARU LIBERAL ASSOCIATION. Oamaru, April 27. The Oamaru executive of tho Liberal Association has sent the followingmessage to Mr. Massey:—“The executive of the Oamaru Liberal Association asks you if it is not deplorable on Anzac Day to see the men who fought at Anzac on strike for the conditions which you promised them ? You promised to give them not only a fair deal, but to be liberal with t.em. Do you call a basic wage of £3 19s. 10d., less superannuation, your idea of liberality and an adequate fulfilment of your promise? Kindly reply in time for a public meeting on Tuesday -..ght.—F. Butterworth, hon. secretary, Liberal Association, Oamaru.” SITUATION UNCHANGED AT NELSON (by Telegraph—Special correspondent.) Nelson, April 26. There is no change concerning the strike position in Nelson. An effort is being made to organise a goods motor service between Glenhope and tho West Coast for the carriage < f perishable foodstuffs. RAILWAYMEN’S EARNINGS MINIMUM AND AVERAGE A Christchurch “Press” reporter made some inquiries recently at the office of the district traffic manager (Mr. H. Chapman), _ respecting the earnings of second division men, and was given the following figures of actual payments for a recent period of two weeks. The figures are stated to be a fair average of earnings for any similar period during the busy season, which lasts for about five or six months. Minimum Farnings. Per hour. 44 hours.

Fortnight's Actual Payments. Christchurch.

(4) 16 7 4 It was explained that the figures for the slacker period would not be so high, but they would never go below the minimum, being almost always above it. In order to keep down the working hours, and thus avoid the payment of overtime, the Department endeavours when a guard has been on a lengthy run one day to put him on a short run the next, and semetimes to give him time 'off. LABOUR VIEWS SYMPATHY VOTE WITH STRIKERS There was a crowded attendance at the Paramount Theatre last evening, at a meeting called by the New Zealand Labour Party to discuss the railwaymen’s strike Mr. XV. T. Young, ’ who presided, road a resolution passed at a meeting of the Thorndon branch of the A.S.R.S. yesterday afternoon, warning tho public not to travel on trains at the present time, on the ground that they were being run under dangerous conditions owing to inexperienced officials being in charge. Referring to a circular, issued presumably by the Railway Department, the chairman said that this set forth that it would cost the country £646,000 per annum to concede the demands of the railway men. He had reliable information from the A.S.R.S. that only 10,000 employees were involved in the dispute, which was 4000 less than quoted by the circular. If 14,198 men wore earning £3 19s. Gd. a week each, tho annual cost would bo £2,947,031. If tho Government were to concede 2s. 6d. per day to 10,000 railwaymen, this would mean £455,000 a year. If a 48-hour week were reverted to. it would mean that 1000 men would J>e discharged. Ten thousand mon at 7s. Bd. per week increase would cost £199,411, whereas if 1000 were discharged the cost of the remaining 9000 at 7s. Bd. per week would be £179,400. When the figures were analysed, it would be seen that by putting off 1000 mon and increasing the wages by 7s. Bd. per week, the Railway Department would save £28.166 annually. Furthermore, tho Department would gain 1,872,000 hours in the year by reverting to the 48-lifiur , week. The whole of the workers of this country, tho speaker declared, were being duped, and duped with the cognisance of some of those men who were supposed to lead them, because they were afraid to put up a fight of any kind whatever. Mr. J. Thorn gave an emphatic denial to the insinuation that the Labour Party had brought about an industrial crisis in order to further their political ends. The railwaymen were out on strike on their own vote, but now that they were out, every force which the Labour Party possessed would be used to aid them and put the present Government out of office. While rural landowners had received favoured treatment at the hands of tho Massov Government, it was ridiculous for the Prime Minister to say that there was no money in the country. What was the good of a record year or a surplus if it did not benefit the toilers of tho country? Tlie people who were entitled to the surplus were the people whose sacrifices had made it possible. Ho appealed to his hearers to assist the railwaymen to fight until thev got what they were fighting for. Mr. A. L. Montieth, M.P., said that pressure hail boon put upon the people of New Zealand in the matter of wages. The railwaymen had been very long suffering. They had waited fifteen months for a rise in wages from £3 19s. Gd., less 4s..per week for superannuation. Tlie railwaymen had in their fight for the reduction of hours the honour of the labouring classes in their hands. 'Hie employers’ associations throughout New Zealand were trying to reduce wages, and the Massey Government were only too ready to help them. , A member of the audience moved that the meeting express entire sympathy with the fight the railwaymen were putting up for a 44-hour week and a living wage. This was declared to bo carried unanimously.

,. d. ,C s. d. Guards— Grade I a 2 34-44 4 18 2 Grade II. 2 2 1-44 4 15 5 Shunters — First year ... 1 10 .34-44 4 .3 0 Second year 1 11 2.3-44 4 6 3 Third year ... 0 12-4i 4 9 0 Fourth year 1 1-44 4 11 9 Fifth year ... 2 1-44 4 15 5 Signalmen and storemen— Grade. 1. — First year <> 012-41 4 9 0 Second year o 1 1-114 4 11 9 Grade II.- - First year 1 10.31-44 4 .3 6 Second year 1 11 23-44 1 6 3 Porters 1 9 34-44 ,3 19 10

Guards— £ B. d. (1) 13 4 1 (2) 14 13 9 (3.) 15 3 8 (1) J 2 I Storemen— (1) 13 19 1 (2) 11 13 11 Shunters— (I) 13 19 1 (2) 13 3 (3) 16 o Signalmen— (D 12 15 4 (2) 14 8 0 Porters— (1) 8 15 5 (2) 9 0 / (3) 8 15 4 W 9 13 2 Country. Porters— (1) 8 19 3 (2) 8 o 8 (3) 7 19 8 Guards — (I) 11 1 / (2) 10 6 9 (3) 9 15 3