BRITISH RAILWAYS

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXX, Issue LXXX, 7 January 1920, Page 8

BRITISH RAILWAYS

{EXTREMISTS VERSUS MODERATES

MUCH DEPENDS ON THE NEXT

FEW DAYS

BT CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT (Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. and Reuter.) (Received Jan. 7, 9.10 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 5. The peace of the railway world depends on the happenings of the next few days. The trade union leaders are divided. Mr J. H. Thomas' and his associates' task is to persuade the delegates to accept the Government's offer. They will exert the utmost pressure to secure a favorable verdict, and A 6 a last resort will try to get a postponement of the final decision. Delegates will be given every opportunity! •to discuss details. The conference may last three days. Anyhow a very great tussle between extremists and moderates is anticipated, in th c event of another crisis the executive may resort to a ballot. Public opinion is freely expressed that the men will be unwise to reject the offer. Meanwhile the extremists' standpoint is that they won the last strike, uid they are of the opinion that they could win another. ' Opposition to the offer is based on the general desire to press the original demand, namely, that a 33s bonus should ibe added to the highest rate of pay of each grade, and the total made the permanent standard rate, on the ground that this has already been conceded to the drivers and firemen. (Received Jan. 7, 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 5. Twenty-three branches of railwaymen aap to the present have rejected the new terms and only two have aceptedc them.