SECOND EDITION AFTERMATH OF STRIKE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume L, Issue 175, 24 October 1917, Page 1

SECOND EDITION AFTERMATH OF STRIKE.

WIDESPREAD DISTRESS. STATE iRELEEF PROVIDED. SYDNEY, Oct. 5. The strike is practically over, but the disorganisation of industry has been bo great that thousands of workers will be unable to return to their former employment for some time, if at all, say a the Herald's correspondent writing under the above date. The long periodi of negotiation between the coalminers and. the Government ended this week in the men commencing work. Reports received last night indicate that almost all the mines are in operation again. It waa a surrender in the case of the miners, as in all the other industries. The steamer services are expected to be Tii full swing again next week, much to the relief of travellers. Thousands of people, in the eastern States ,are awaiting transportation to West Australia and the northern territory of New' Zealand. Judging by the inquiries made at the shipping offices, the New Zealanders "stranded" Tiere awaiting steamers' number several hundreds, including many invalided soldiers. There are many cases of people having waited six and eight weexs for a berth. .Reports of great distress among the families of men out of work are being disseminated from tile Trades Hall, aha an organised appeal for public assistance is being made. The public is not viewing the matter- very ltirujly. People see, on one side, the leaders of the unfortunate strikers asking assistance for the families of men who were deliberately dragged away from work, on the other, helpless women and, children, who are in nq way to blame for the strike, literally starving because of it. The extent of the distress is wide. Food is- being distributed from tlie Trades Hall, and all 'day , long a stream of poverty stricken women flows through the building. At the hall, one day this week, it is estimated 1200. peisons, mostly women, sought 'and obtained relief. Some "nairowmg tales of poverty come from the slum districts around Pyrmont and Redfern. (A later message stated thr.t furthei? assistance had been 'rendered to the suffering women and children).

. FUND OF £20,000. An announcement has been made by the Acting-Premier, Mr G. W. Fulled, that the Government had decided to vote £20,000 "for the relief of the distress at present existing in New South Wales. Mr Fuller said the Government was hopeful that before very longindustrial conditions would get back to norma], but unfortunately a great deal' of distress did now exist, and the Government had decided to set apart fts a first instalment for the relief of distress the sum of £20,000. If, unfortunately, there should be any further necessity the Government would see that a sufficient sum was set apart so, that women and children would suffer as little as possible. . . The distribution of relief is being organised by the Attorney-General, M. D. R. Hall, who is utilising the services of the Benevolent Society of New South Wales in Sydney, and of the local Mayors in the suburbs and the coimtry districts.

STOPPING FOOD FOR TROOPS. "I do not intend to waste time in. expressing my opinion of the action, taken in stopping supplies for the troops," said Judge Curlewis, in cancelling the registration of the Cold Storage Employees' Union. "Treason and baseness are such common attributes of a certain type of unionist in' these times that one has ceased to feel surprised. This union cannot boaßt that it was as traitorous or as base as the unions *who refused to coal transports or man hospital ships, but it has the consolation- of knowing that it was as traitorous and base as it had the power to be. I believe that in removing this union from the register, 'and| giving an lopportunity for the. forma-: . tion'of'a new union ? whose members' will be ashamed of giving active wissis- • tance to the Germans, T am conferring ' a benefit upon those men." • _ In explaining the origin of the application, Judge Curlewis said that i>n' August 16, Galloway, secretary of th© ; , union, called ,in company with tw<v members of the executive of another/ union, on the 'general manager of the/ Fresh Food and Ice Company, and informed him that all meat .in cold stor- » age had been declared black by the,.. Strike Defence Committee, arid that ther members of his union would refuse to handle it. The material which the men refused to handle consisted partly of meat required for military camps and partly of rabbits required for a transport. In,the case of the Skating Rink.,: Company part of the material was urgently required for a transport. In > the case of John Cooke and Company the material consisted of meat, the property of the Imperial Government, required for war purposes. This Galloway, _ anH his union knew > ■ ■ Tag Judge also ordered that the preference clause bo struck out of tho "award