RAILWAY STRIKE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7542, 15 May 1903, Page 5

RAILWAY STRIKE.

(Per Press Association—Copyright) SYDNEY, Yesterday. The Secretary of the Labour Council received the following telegram to-day from the strike iieadquart- j ers : —" Strike continuing with unabated vigour. Newspaper reports J of defections and satisfactory traffic are false. All through Victoria there have been oniy seven defections. In no dispute have the men been so unanimous.'' MELBOURNE, Yesterday.The members of the Drivers' Association now on strike told tho interviewer that a proportion oE tho strikers are now sorry that they took the extreme step. Some would never have gone out at all but from fear of others who wanted to strike were coerced. If tho Government had guaranteed adequate protection a large number would never have left their engines. Only a desire to stick to tho Executive was keeping them together now. As a result of the negotiations between a committee of influential citizens and the leaders of the local Firemen and Drivers' Union, tho whole of the Geelong strikers agreed to resume work to-morrow. The decision was come to after the men had received a departmental promise that if they resumed work at once their rights would be conserved. Amongst the applications for employment yesterday were from 29 certificated drivers, including <J who had struck. It is also stated that steamer passages have been booked for fifty drivers from other States, including New Zealand, and that fitters have offered to come to the assistance of the Railway Department. The Strike Committee flatly deny that men are returning to duty. The President of the Drivers' Association to-day stated that such reports were nothing more or less than deliberate attempts to cause disunion amongst the men. Tho only efl'ect of such reports, however, had been that now it was impossible to get them to believe any rumours flying about. Possibly the Department may have induced some half a dozen strikers to consider seductive inducements held out, but he declared the service was no better to-day than it had been ; the men were just as determined K s ever, and complete unanimity existed amongst them.

During the early -part of the debate, Mr Bromley, leader of the Labor Party, said no one would deprecate the strike more than he. For years he had fought against strikes. Had he and his confreres been consulted there w.ould probably have been no strike. The strikers had been jumped on time after time. Were they to have no right of speech ; no liberty ; nd thought ? The Premier was not almighty. The views of them ought to have some consideration. On the resumption of the debate this afternoon, Sir A. Peacock announced that he never intended the amendment as a want of confidence. Had it been carried he was convinced the strike would have collapsed to-day. He wouid support the second reading of the Bill, but would oppose a number of its clauses in committee which were too drastic. Mr Smith, tho Labour member, charged tho Government with unfair treatment of the i-aihvay men in regard to retrenchment and re(.•lassi/ication. and characterised tho Bill as panic legislation. Ho asked the Government to adopt other means of dealing ,with the matter. Mr Wickford congratulated the labour members in not attempting to justify the strike. Mr Duffy said the Bill would |ilace every man at the mercy of any polccman who thought they were discussing a strike. Anybody with a matchbox bearing the word strike were liable to arrest and imprisonment. He was willing to give the Government full power to stop a strike, but not such powers as were asked for.

Mr '.Fink thought it. was time that the demands of the Labour party should lie. stopped. He hoped the next election would return members pledged to assist in developing- the country. The reported defection of the | Geelong men proves incorrect. For-ty-cigh't-men attended a meeting but after a discussion decided to re- | main on .strike. The strike leaders say it will | take a fortnight to get the Strike Jtilt through. The more, drastic clauses will be more strongly opposed in the Assembly. The debate is proceeding, and is I likely to prove vei-y lengthy,. The feeling of both Houses and outside, is that some clauses, especially those referring to street gatherings and publishing and distributing strike matter and moneys, ■are very severe and need toning down. Amongst those who came to the Government is David Mitchell, Melba's father. He is an old driver, and lias been running a train for a couple of days. Twenty-three suburban trains arc running to-day—two additional. The line between St. Kilda and Preston is being reopened. Yesterday's country service was well maintained and a number of cross-country trains were run. Goods trains ran 'between Melbourne and Woodcnd, and the Ben-digo-Woodend train was the first goods train attempted to bo run since the strike. Three striking drivers are in charge of the engines to-day. In addition to the Oeelong men, fourteen strikers at other country centres have applied to be reinstated. . One eiTect of the strike will b 0 that a number oT country raco meetings will be indefinitely post- • ponecl. LONDON, Thursday. The Times lays the strike is a peculiarly audacious development ot trades unionism. Premier Irvine's 'emergency measure was justified by the consideration that the State is practically in a state of siege. Unless permanent legislation is passed Government will be again impeded whenever there is a strike, and all economical management, of the State departments will be made impossible by the collective political actions o£ public servants, who have become, to a great extent the public's masters. Unless trade unions are made to feel their responsibilities it is extremely likely they will push tyranny to a point of rendering exceptional repressive measures inevitable. The Morning Tost declares that Premier .Irvine's promptness and plucky determination is an example to other statesmen. It is the most courageous and the wisest way to deal with a strike. The Daily says Mr Irvine's proposals are unnecessarily drastic, savouring of panic. The London Social Democratic Federation adopted a resolution of sympathy with the strikers. Received to-day at 8.44 a.m,.LONDON, Yesterday. The Pall Mall Gazette expresses the hope that the British labour leaders will note Mr Irvine's measures for a democratic country. Receiccd to-day at 9.37 am. MELBOURNE, This Day. The Premier states it is not the intention of the Government to permit all strikers willing to do so to resume duty. The 211 men who came to the assistance of the State are now actually engaged. As they did so under the distinct promise of permanent employment, their claims -are paramount for positions which suited them. Moreover, it is not intended at the present time to bring the railway service up to anything like the full conditions prevailing before the strike. Those men who were over-active in organising the strike and took part in intimidating, or were guilty of leaving their trains anywhere on the lines will receive no consideration. The Government has appointed a Board consisting of Messrs Sachse and Pitt, honorary members of the Cabinet. The Board will inquire into the claims of the strikers applying to resume work. From the utterances of the men themselves it may pretty safely be said there is practically no likelihood of the signalmen joining the strike. Yesterday's mileage ran was PI7OO by passenger trains, and 223 by goods trains. The running of tho country trains has to a great extent re-established the postal service. Eight Executive oflicers of the Amalgamated Society who were removed from oilice have instituted proceedings against the Commission for wrongful dismissal. The damages are not yet iixed. Received to-day at 10.10 a.m. A large meeting of sympathisers of the strikers last night denounced the Strike Bill as a piece of •jb.arbarisin unparalleled in British history The speakers hotly attacked the Minister's official statement that .16 drivers had decided to return to the service. This statement was denied by the Drivers' Secretary who said he had an instance where men alleged to havo returned to work were at that moment at the strikers' headquarters. He asked if -56 returned why were they not running trains lhc men were standing linn and lighting fairly, honestly, and quietly, causing as little trouble and hardship as they could and will continue to do so. If the Bill passes a few may waver, but they will be ievf indeed. We will hold - x meeting and they can lock up our Metropolitan six hundred under their extraordinary Bill, but that will not run trains. Mr Irvine has received a cable lrom the Australian Chamber of Commerce of London in conjunction with a number of influential Victorians there cordially endorsing his action, and wishing hi ni success. As showing the extent of telegraphs used for the result of strike news nearly half a million words were sent to the city offices oil May 12th, representing £1153 This was £183 better than the previous day's record. One outcome of the strike is the diverting of a large volume of the Victorian Border tra/lic to Kew i South Wales. ! Received to-day at 11.12 a.m. The debate on the Strike Bill was continued through out the wight, and is still proceeding. At times the proceedings were lively. Mr Toutcher, a Labour Member,-

said tho Government's action in calling the Executives to resign before the meeting of Parliament was prejudiced and it prejudged the case. The majority of the Government supporters had their hands manacled by a Bill worthy of Russia in every way. He regretted belonging to a Parliament which dared to introduce such an infamous, scandalous Bill. Tlie men believed they were striking a Y>lo\v for li-1 berty. To err was human, but to forgive was divine. [Mr Kirton declared that this revolt was a rebellion. Messrs O'Malloy, Dawson, and a gentleman who had just arrived from New Zealand were responsible for having encouraged the men. Mr llirsch, while condemning the men's action, advocated leniency. Tie was glad to hear the Premier was prepared to accept modifications. Mr Trenwith opposed the Strike Bill as a measure unnecessary and unjustifiable. The Government had no right to interfere with the men outside their own work. He denied the Trades Hall was a political body. The Government had acted monstrously, and were risking danger over a trifle at stake. The men acted wisely, and should not have struck for' any provocation Jie could think of. They, would have been perfectly justified in striking if the Government alone' would have been injured. He hoped Parliament would adopt a medium course, and end- the awful state of things. SYDNEY, To-day. The Labour Council has adopted resolutions expressing contempt at tho Irvine Government /or staining the name of Australia by the passage of a cocrtion arch to prevent the Assemblage of free men and pledging to support strikers and trusting that the fight against all tyranny that prevent free men associating for their mutual benefit. The press were excluded from the meeting. The Herald's Melbourne corresJ pondent says measured by bald figures the position of the Department would not appear too reassuring. Normally the services of 325 drivers wevo required. At present the Department had only ;55 at its command, but then the hours wore very long.and would represent what was ordinarily demanded of sixty. Given its best aspect the department was running a timetable equal to about a sixty man service, which, however, was improving daily and anyhow under normal conditions many superfluous trains will run. Received to-day at 11.29 a.m. The Herald says the strength of the Victorian ministry and the feeling of Parliament and the country were shown by the drastic provisions of the Strike Bill. It was a measure of sclle-defence against organised lawlessness as dangerous to the public peace as any act of rebellion against constituted authority. It needs no defence strong as the provisions may appear, remembering its drastic and novel provisions will disappear as soon as the strike is over. The Daily Telegraph says the product was for a unique'occasion and thcrrore the Bill is not to be judged as an ordinary measure. It employs more force than necessry, and therefore more than desirable' but this defect can easily bo remedied. Mr Irvine's enthusiasm in defence has overreached itself to the verge of aggression and unless modified tho Bill will have adangerous recoil. Its main purpose, how ever, every man who believes in the maintenance of public liberty and public order must whole-hear-tedly support it.