RAILWAY STRIKE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 18217, 3 October 1919, Page 7

RAILWAY STRIKE.

SUCCESS OF MOTOR LORRIES. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, October 1. The feature of the strike is the triumph of tho motor lorries, some of which are running to points 100 miles (rom London. This method of distributing food is likely to be continued after i:he strike. If tho transporters ana omnibus drivers strike, the Government have offers from thousands of es-service men who have driven motor-cars and lorries in France. The majority of the taxi-drivers continue at work. MB SMILLEE'S PROPHECY. Mr R. Smillie, speaking at Glasgow, stated that, within a week, probably 50 [>er cent of the manual workers of ohe country would be idle. This would lead to a situation which ought to be avoided if commonseuse and the welfare of the nation were observed. KING TRAVELS BY MOTOR. LONDON, October 1. On account of the railway strikes the King is motoring to London from Balmoral. POSITION STILL IMPROVING. LONDON, October 1. The latest official announcement states that tho strike position continues to improve. The numbers of railway men resuming are increasing, and the normal deliveries of foodstuffs by railway companies ate starting. The communique urges that coal and petrol must bo strictly economised in view of the fact that the dislocation of traffic may continuo for somo time. MEAT PRICES RAISED. Owing to the increased cost of production, the Food Ministry has raised all prices of meat by 2id per pound. THE TRADE UNION CONFERENCE. The Transport Workers' Conference has 4 issued a statement that the meeting discussed the rendering of practical help to the railwnyinon. Representatives of the following unions were picsent:—Genera! Workers, Postal Unions, Amalgamated Society of Engineers, Iron and Steel Trade Federation, the whole of tho Printing Trades Unions and tho Railway Clerks' Association. The Parliamentary Committee of the Trades' Union Conference also attended. NOT A POLITICAL STRIKE. It was decided to ask Mr J. H. Thomas and Mr Bromley, representing all grades of railwaymen, to state the situation. After hearing them the conference adopted a resolution that the whole delegates were convinced that the strike was purely a trades union strike for wages and conditions. INTERVIEW WITH LLOYD GEORGE REQUESTED. After Messrs Thomas and Brcmley had withdrawn, a resolution requesting an interview with tho Premier was carried. « The executive's announcement declared that it would stop at nothing to defend the long established principles of trade unionism and the ngnt to defend wages constitutionally secured. THE ISSUE DEFINED. Newspapers give prominence to issues of the strike which the bulk of the public has not yet grasped. Summarised, the issues are:—The railwaymen demand that every worker, except the firemen and drivers who have no grievance, receive as a permanent standard wage the 33s weekly which ivas given as a flat war wage, plus the highest rate paid before the war in the respective grades with a minimum of 60s weekly. The Government offer that the new rates shall be 100 per cent above pre-war rate* with a minimum of 40s weekly, that the difference between these new rates and the present oaraings shall be maintained until the cost of living has fallen to 110 per cent over the pre-war f.gure. (When the aforementioned wage was awarded, tho coat t living was 125 per cent above the •e-war rate. It is now 115 per cent,) • I'hat if and when the cost of living has. fallen to 110 per cent, the residue of the war wage shall still bo paid until the cost of living has remained at or below that level for three months, and even then the residue of the war wage shall not fall off in a lump but 6hall be readjusted, either by a sliding scale or by reference to an independent industrial tribunal. The difference between the demand and the offer may briefly be illustrated as follows I —The railwaymen demand that the man who received 18s weekly before the war and now receives, with tho afore-mentioned war wage, 51s shall, in future, have a minimum wage of 60s. Tho Government offer the 180 man, a minimum of 40s, plus lis residue of war wage until December 31, and thereafter until the cost of living has appreciably and permanently fallen. Then the lis may be reduced gradually in proportion to the further fall in'the cost of living. Replying to a request for a clear explanation of the Government's offer, Mr Lloyd George telegraphed to Cardiff that in no event, even when the cost of living falls to a pre-war level, will any grade of. rnilwaymen on nn average get less than twice the prewar wages. CONFERENCE WITH MINISTERS. (Received October 2, 7.40 p.m.) LONDON, October 2. The railwaymen were still holding a conference at Downing Street at midnight. The conference broke up at 12.30 p.m., and may resume to-mor-row. CONFERENCE STILL SITTING. (Received October 2, 8.10 p.m.) LONDON, October 2. The conference was resumed to-day. Mr Thomas states that the public will get some satisfaction from the knowledge that the parties have come together again. It is th© duty of both sides to see that they do not break away until they have made a settlement. LONG INTERVIEW WITH PRIME MINISTER. (Received October 3, 12.25 a.m.) LONDON, October 1. Mr Lloyd George was not attended by colleagues when he received a deputation from the Transport Federation's conference. The interview lasted foJr hours. The deputation then proceeded to Caxton Hall, but declined to make a statement to the Press. COST TO THE UNION. (Received October 3, 12.35 a.m.) LONDON, October 1. The railwaymen's strike pay is 12s weekly. It is estimated that the strike will cost the National Union of Railwaymen over a quarer of a million weekly. Four hundred steamers are detained in the Eyne, unable to get bunker coal. Mr Adamson, leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party, who is inScot,land, telegraphed to the Premier urging that Parliament should be assembled. STRIKERS STONE A TRAIN. (Received October 3, 12.25 a.m.) LONDON, October 1. Strikers stoned a train between North Berwick and Edinburgh and emnMhed tfe» wia4sw». &a ass ma teu i