Victorian Strike May End in Time to Avert Grave Crisis

Evening Star, Issue 26091, 3 May 1947, Page 7

Victorian Strike May End in Time to Avert Grave Crisis

Prospects of settling the .Victorian strike have improved slightly. After conferring for nine hours with the parties to the dispute the Actina Chief Judge, Mr Justice Drake-Brockman, said he was hopeful that the talks would succeed. Some union leaders said that ’there was a good chance of a settlement. The conference by the parties to the dispute adjourned at 11 p.m. last night untii Monday. The Amalgamated Engineering Union undertook not to withdraw members from Yellourn power house during the discussions. The union, however, would not abandon its plans to withdraw from metropolitan power houses during the week-end staff hands, leading hands and apprentices. The, withdrawal of these men would not reduce the power output before Monday. Yallourn gives power to ail Melbourne and most of Victoria. Metropolitan power

houses give power to Melbourne’* trams. Mr Justice Drake-Brockman will rePort progress to-day to the Victoriar renuer. Mr J. Cain, who had asked him .to call the conference. When tin conference resumes bn Monday, Mi Justice Drake-Brockman will not n« present. The registrar of the Arbitration Court will preside. This wit allow the talks to continue on an em ployer-employee basis. Unless the strike ends quickly Melbourne will be almost without electricity. Officials said that power would be. available only for .waterworks, sewers, street light-■„ ing, and possibly a. minimum house lighting and a skeleton tram service. Most shops have sold out of emergency lighting sp- t paratus. Some suburban shops have sold out of food and will not open to-day. They have I ttle hope of getting more supplies because of the transport restrictions.