BASELESS REVOLUTION

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 September 1917, Page 8

BASELESS REVOLUTION

WILD AUSTRALIAN HUMOURS

FTRF.S A XD SHOOTING IN AUCKLAND.

The censorship cm news between Australia and New Zealand has produced the most extraordinary rumours <m the other side regarding (lie stale of tlit' Dominion. When the Australian strike was at its height, Mr. Groom, Federal Assistant Minister, received a telegram from Toowoomna slating I liiil. a serious, industrial dis-

turbanoe li.'ul commenced in New Zealand, that 150 Queenslanders had been killed, ami the total casualties were 1500. .Mr. Hughes subsequently stated that he had received a cablegram from Mi'. Massey absolutely denying tl ,e reports, and adding that the Dominion was industrially buiel from one end to the ot her. A gentleman who was in Sydney on September sth told a "Star" reporter that he was gravely assured that there was a revnluton in progress in New Zealand over the enforcement of conscription; that 'IS men had been shot in Queen Street, Auckland; that half Auckland had been burned down and that Hamilton was in flame-;. "It was also sta.ted that Australian troops were being dispatched to New Zealand to quell the disturbances, and that five laden transports were lying outside Wellington Heads. People were wont to speak of "the New Zealand revolution" with hated breath, as if it wore an undisputed and very dreadful fact. Referring to the strike the same gentleman said that the whole affair was an organised attack on (he National (Governments-ill' the Commonwealth and New South Wales, but-it had been lirough on two or three months too early, and before the workers were educated up to it. The X'ew South Wales (.'overnmenl's policy was one of passive resistance, and had succeeded admirably. There were abundance of volunteer workers —mostly from the country —and all the essential public services were beiiej; carried out satisfactorily, with the result that, the strike organisation had broken, and men were almost stampeditu'.back to work when he left, over 5000 having resumed by September sth. The ('Government had refused to negotiate until the men resinned work', and this stand had had a very good effect. The whole strike had been of a wry peaceful character : and considering the great numbers involved tlVre was remarkably little Irmililn ~>■ vinlnne..