WELLINGTON TRAMWAY STRIKE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 46, 7 February 1912, Page 5

WELLINGTON TRAMWAY STRIKE.

WELLINGTON CITIZENS’ • LEAGUE. [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. J Wellington, Feb. 6. At .a meeting of the executive of the Wellington Citizens' Ixuigue today arrangements were completed for a general meeting of members tobe held in the Masonic Flail, Boul-i-ott street, on Friday evening next, for the purpose of considering matters arising out of the settlement arrived at in the recent tramway strike. Important resolutions wid lie placed before the meeting, and a very large attendance is anticipate:!. A very large addition to the membership of the league is reported. CARS RUNNING. Wellington, Feb. 6. The familiar sound of the cars greeted the ears of the early risers to-day, the usual service commencing at schedule time. The permananr way, car shed and power house staffs wort- kept busy throughout Monday night. There was a lot to do after a spell cf five and a half days. Th? Inxs were choked with dust and dirt, and the special scoop was employed all night cleaning out the grooves. All the curves had to be greased before they could be negotiated by the ears, so dry had they become with their enforced idleness. All the men turned up to work with the exception of six, but it is considered that in all probability these ft»en are upon the sick list. Singularly onough the weather, which was perfect during the period of the strike, changed to-day drizzling rain setting in. (Suburban residents were therefore peculiarly fortunate in having the service restored to-day.

STRIKE LOSSES. Wellington, Feb. 6. The approximate loss cf gievenm? during the strike period amounted to £2190/11/10. These figures are arrived at by a comparison with the corresponding days of 1911. The ears stopped running at 2 p.m. on Wednesday last, and resumed this morning, five and a half days’ revenue being lost. The fares collected ca Wednesday up to the time the strike commenced totalled £215 > 9, whih- there was £-171/9/- collected on the corresponding day lasi, year. Tb.e following arc the figures : — 1911. 1912. £ s. d. £ s. d. Wednesday .. 471 9 0 215 0 9 Tuesday .... -117 5 9 — Friday 124 4 2 — Saturday ... 489 22 — Sunday 206 0 1 — Monday 367 112 — 2405 12 7 215 0 9 215 0 9 Deficiency 2190 II 10 Although the foregoing represents approximately the loss of revenue it does not mean that that amount of money is actually lost to the city, although it. is impossible to say at the present time what the actual loss is. A rough idea may be gained by from the revenue the wages of the men during the strike period. This less is. estimated at between £l7O and £2OO a day, cr a tonal of a little more than £lOOO. On fliis reckoning the less to the city would work out at about £l 190. The electrical , engineer and tramway •nauag'r, Mr. S. Richardson, is ousy at the present time working -jut the exact figures, and he will submit a report to the council cn Thursday night.

WILL STRIKERS BE PROSECUTED >. Wellington, Feb. 6. There is every probability that the men who participated in the strike, their leaders and prominent supporters will all be prosecuted under the provisions of the Arbitration Act. The Labour Department lias not yet taken any definite steps in the matter beyond making necessary inquiries and collecting data. This, it is understood, will be submitted to the Minister of Labour in due course. THE LESSON OF THE STRIKE. LAW COMES OFF SECOND BEST. [BY TELEGRAPH SPECIAL.]' (Own Correspondent). Wellington, Feb. 6. Under this heading the “Post” remarks, editorially:—“For the present it must be confessed that, m spite cf the strenuous exertions of some members of the City Conned, the Law’ b.as come off second best. After striking in defiance of the law and before they have purged their offence, the strikers have been able to force the hand of*thc Council and secure their rc-engagcmenc upon Ihe old terms with the loss of notning but the wages for the live days. During that interval the organisations which championed them added to the original offence that the people might have bad the chance of demonstrating its hollowness. But the important thing for everybody to remember is that the threat is not withdrawn. but only postponed; t.hri the most trivial local quarrel between employer and employee niav bring it at any moment into operation ; and that, we should all lie schooling ourselves to face and conquer the calamity when it comes.