RAILWAY STRIKE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 18218, 4 October 1919, Page 9

RAILWAY STRIKE.

DEPUTATION TO PRIME MINISTER. SETTLEMENT EXPECTED. By Tolegraph—Press Association—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, October I. Tho workers’ decision is expected tonight. After a protracted sitting, Mr Gosling, president of the Transport Workers’ Federation, who headed the deputation, which included prominent Labour leaders whose unions are not involved in the strike,, asked Mr Lloyd George whether ho wished to see the railwaymen’s executive. Mr Lloyd George replied that lie was ready to meet them, but added : “ Nothing can be gained by ambiguity, and there lias been a good deal of misunderstanding already. Therefore I want to make it quite clear that the Government considers it impracticable to reopen negotiations until tho railwayman resume. Tlie Ministers concerned in the negotiations cannot attempt to deal with the questions involved while the .whole, of their energies are devoted to improving the means to carry on tho life of the nation.” THE END. IMMINENT. LONDON, October 2. Tho settlement of the strike is reported to be imminentNO SETTLEMENT. LONDON, October 2. Mr J. H. Thomas has announced that Monday’s conferences have broken down, and that there is no settlement. POSITION STILL CRITICAL. Boater** Telegrams. LONDON. October 2. Tho railwaymen’s strike leaders still maintain that it is impossible to secure a general return of the men prior to negotiations unloss the Government can offer them an assurance of equitable wages and treatment compared with the locomotive men, but wen their apologists in the Press recognise that resumption is essential to the success of the negotiations. The position is still critical, but tho new spirit of statesmanship manifested yesterday is regarded as a good augury. It is not impossible that a settlement may bo effected on the lines that a tribunal or commission ho immediately appointed to examine the whole war wage question, taking the case of the railwaymcn first. MAILS BY ’PLANE. Fifty-four service aeroplanes wero employed yesterday distributing mails all over the country. Communication between London and the principal towns has been regularly established. A quantity of mails are sent to European capitals hy aeroplanes. BUNKER COAL. It is understood that owing to the increasing seriousness of the bunker problem the British Government have purchased supplies of 100,000 tons ot coal monthly from the United States with which to supply the depots ot ports of call, for which tonnage will bo provided. IMPROVED SERVICE. Official statements issued indicate a 6tendy improvement in the train and other transport services and food and millk distributions. An increasing number of volunteers are offering. EFFECTS OF THE STRIKE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, October 2. Excepting the west of Scotland and South Wales, the situation in the provinces is not very bad. Canal transit in the Midlands is proring tho most helpful in supplying fuel and raw material for numerous industries. Although many collieries are closed or partially closed there is nothing like a general breakdown of industry in the “Black” country. The situation in Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham is not yet serious. In the West of Scotland 25,000 out of 32,000 stool workers and 25,000 miners aro idle. The position in East Scotland is not seridus, though shipping is tied up at somo ports. Tlie food situation in iho provinces is excellent. PREMIER’S MANIFESTO. Tho following statement, signed by Mr Lloyd George, is being flashed on tho screens at all kinema shows:— “Tlie Government is _ not fighting trades unionism, which is a recognised factor in the industrial life of tho country. The Government is fighting to prevent the extremists of any industrial body attempting to gain their ends by attacking the life of tho community, and so bringing untold misery upon thousands of innocent people.” REDUCTION OF NEWSPAPERS. LONDON, October 2. Newspapers have reduced to half their customary size. The greatest difficulty >s experienced in distribution, motors being used as well as aeroplanes. RUSH OF VOLUNTEERS. Tlie rush of volunteer workers has caused tho authorities to open fresh enrolment depots. Denso crowds aro assembling at daybreak eager to tio anything. Peers aro snipping tickets, peeresses aro serving in refreshment rooms, bishops and clergymen are conveying mails and rolling trolleys, brigadier-generals and colonels are .acting as porters, moving luggage, and city magnates aro stoking in power houses. Twenty thousand workers are provided nightly with hotel accommodation and meals, on a similar scale Ladies’ committees have organised stalls for free teas for 16,000 city girL on their homeward walks from work. TRIUMPH OF MODERATE VIEWS The complete triumph of tho moderate Iftbour. leaders is believed to be assured as the result of yesterday’s and to-day’s proceedings. The extremists had a chance yesterday, when cue choice, lay between far-reacliing developments and mediation. They hold important positions hi unionism, but provide only a small minority in the Executive Council They seemed to feel helpless against an unflinching, determined and aroused public. GOVERNMENT’S EFFECTIVE measures. (Received October 3, 8.20 p.m.) LONDON, October 2. There is little doubt that the un-looked-for success of the Government’s measures has strengthened moderate minion. This success is shown by the official announcement that two thousand trains scheduled for Wednesday were more than secured This is double Tuesday's trains. Tlie food situation ** oven bettor, apart from

milk. London can live on present iood stocks for a month or six weeks, while tlio provinces are provided with amplo local supplies, including great herds of cattle and sheep which are being driven to the towns along the high roads in the Midlands and North Leicestershire Farmers alone are supplying two thousand cattle ana many more sheep, which are trekking fifty miles along the roads in many cases. RAILWAYMEN’S PAY. HELD BACK BY GOVERNMENT. (Received October 4, 1.15 a.m.) LONDON, October 2. The question has been raised whether the Government should pay the railwaymen’s wages. for the week’s work prior to the stria,?, which was duo. It is stated the Government has decided to refuse, as the men left without notice. Sir Auckland Geddes, Sir R. Horne and others assisted Mr Lloyd George in the later stages of the conference. Lord Robert Cecil calls on the Government to summon Parliament, as confidential discussions cannot take the place of Parliamentary debates. The "Daily Express” proposes that London business nouses should give employees a holiday from Thursday to Monday if the striko continues. A FURTHER UNION CONFERENCE. Reuter's Telegrams. (Received October 4, 1.30 a.m.) LONDON, October 2, The secretary of the Transport Workers’ Federation says a oommitteo from the conference will meet to-morrow morning, after which a request will possibly be made to Mr Llovd Georgo to again seo thorn. Then tho federation will report to a further conference, which it is hoped will be of an even more representative character. The executives of all unions immediately or likely to bo involved have been requested to consult ono another in order ta prepare any action likely to be deemed advisable. HOW NEGOTIATIONS WERE REOPENED. HOPES FOR A SETTLEMENT. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received October 4, 1.35 a.m.) LONDON, October 2. Instead of immediately authorising a strike, as tho hot-heads expected, the conference called by tho Transport Federation, after listening to Mr Henderson’s opening speech, called in Messrs Thomas and Bromley, heard them for an hour, and then elected a deputation of eleven members to go to Downing Street and interview Mr Lioyd George. The deputation included Messrs Gosling/ Williams, Clynes, Henderson, O’Grady, Brownlie and Naylor. Their representations were so successful that Mr Thomas was invited to Downing Street for a second conference at nine o’clock, which Cramp, Bromley and other members of tho striking executives also joined in the last four hours, the trade unionists meanwhile remaining at Caxton Hall. The length of the conference proved that substantial progress was being made. This was confirmed when it was officially announced that Mr Lloyd George would meet tho deputation again this morning. It is now tho general belief and hope that the railwayman have learned the impossibility of maintaining their position, and are anxious for a settler ment.