AUSTRALIA'S GREAT STRIKE.

North Otago Times, Volume CVI, Issue 13975, 11 September 1917, Page 3

AUSTRALIA'S GREAT STRIKE.

V, Settlement announced. iailwat and tramway men returning. nanimously favour end of \ , STRIKE. Per Oable—Press Association-(»iiyri|[lH.) eeeived September 10, 0.30 p.m. i , SYDNEY, September 10. ( Strike Committee unanimously ecided' to instinct tlie railway and rnmwny employees to.resume work on 'uesday morning. So far the Australian engineers, laeksmilhs, amalgamated engineers hd amalgamated cnginedrivers and leanera have accepted the proposal. Other sectional unions are considerig their attitude. SPIRIT OP ANARCHY PREVAILS; WIDESPREAD INDUSTRIAL UPSTRIKE NEWS DAY BY. DAY. (Per Press Association). "WELLINGTON, September 10. The following are additional strike items, intended as cables by the Press Association Sydney Office, but forwarded by mail. SPREADING OF DISAFFECTION. CONCILIATORY EFFORTS FAIL. SYDNEY, August 20. Kavanagh, Thomson, and Willi? have been remanded on bail at £2OO each, The Defence Committee declared that tlic arrests will only steel the men to continue the strike.

Tho police raided the Trades Hall and seized all the books and money collected for the relief of strikers. The Newcastle Defence Committee carried a resolution in favour of a general strike, embracing tlie"whole of the Commonwealth.

Mr Fuller, Acting-Premier, announced they had sufficient volunteers, No more were wanted.

Counsel, 'on behalf of the Railway i Commissioners, applied for ,a recession | of the awards of the striking Railway ana Tramway Union?, He disclaimed any intention to reduce wages or attack- the uuions. He only desired to ■bring home lo the men that they'must not allow themselves to be led into a. conflict' with the law. The hearing was , .adjourned. I The Broken Hill miners struck and decided not to resume till tho Sydney strike leaders arc released. They will a\so pay no rent during the currency of the" strike. Seven thousand are rendered idle by the coal miners' action. They declare there will be no settlement as far as they are concerned, till the legislation permitting free labour in the mines is repealed. Three hundred employees of the Colonial Sugar refinery struck over the question of their award. : The Commissioner (Mr Fraser), at < -tlieir request, addressed fifteen hundred of his. employees, and endeavoured to prove that they were being misled on the strength of suspicions only. He solemnly promised that there, was no intention to introduce the Taylor, or any other, bad American card system,. or' speed up. He reiterated his previous promises, and disclaimed victimisation. . Further conferences with the Strike 'Committee and Mr Fraser proved futile.

SUCCESS OF VOtUNTEER WORKERS.

'!, MEECHANT SEAMEN STAND tjf\. ■'•: LOYAL. SYDNEY, August 21. | ■•: Over two thousand volunteers are working on the wharves and elsewhere, • A meeting of the Merchant Service of Australasia decided to assist the Government in any capacity. A good number of coastal steamers are • now running, : The butter famine, a shortage of sugar IfiiM"salt are the thief disabilities. Otherwise conditions in the city are now largely normal. ■ • Over two thousand train railwaymen have resumed The places of 1,900 Jiave been fillet! by volunteers. ,„. The surfacemen and others who were keeping the coal mines in order have been called out. The proprietors are taking steps to prevent the flooding ,of'the.,]>its. - The Commonwealth has taken control : of all available r6al.

~ EXTENSION OF COAL STRIKE. I • . FEDERAL INTERVENTION /; \>. : . DECLINED. '

SYDNEY, August 22. The miners refused.an ultimatum to .. v return to work. . The Government lias issued a proclamation taking possession of all coal mines in the State. The Broken Hill Labour Council has called a general strike in the Barrier * district. z A deputation of, the , Melbourne Trades Hall Council asked for Federal intervention, in the strike. Mr Hughes, after consulting the: New ' i South -Wales ; Attorney-General, stated . ' that the ftcw South Wales Government . considered itself capable of dealing - * with the strike, and did not desire him 'jiff'", to intervene, therefore, as both parties did not desire, he could not intervene.

REGISTRATION OF UNIONS CANCELLED/ MANY FACTORIES CLOSING. SYDNEY, August 23. The IndiHlnal Couit has cancelled the legistiation of tho Railway and Tramway Unions involved in the strike. The brick companies in'the metio politan area are closing, owing to the want of fuel, ' , ' Already numbers of public works and factories havo closed, adding considerably to the unemployed, SERIOUS DISTURBANCES AT . BROKEN HILL, THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEERS AVAILABLE. SYDNEY, August 24, The use of gas in shops, restaurants, hotels and boardinghouses has been prohibited, Including those who remained loyal and the men who have returned, over 20,000 are now working on the railways, and tramways,'

The Legislative Assembly, without debate, negatived a,motion- by the Leader of the Opposition censuring the Government in connection with the strike by 40 votes to 23.

* Mr Fuller, replying to a number of indirect overtures regarding a settlement, emphatically refused further' negotiations with the Strike Commit-" tee, which lit described as illegal bodies.

Tlie first serious disturbances during the strike occurred at Broken Hill today. Large drafts of South Australian and other police went (hither. The crowd attempted to rescue the prisoner and raid the police station. The police charged with their batons, and scattered the strikers and arrested nine others. The crowds visited some of the inines and doused the tires, and forcibly removed the engineer. The continued arrival of volunteers In Sydney has necessitated the forming of more camps. Hundreds of women are offering their services in any capacity. A fleet of nolliers with scratch crews are bringing coal for urgent requirements, Meetings of colliery proprietors endorsed the Government's action in tak-

ing possession of the mines. The railways are so greatly improved that the Commissioners yperday were able to give an hourly service to eleven at night on the suburban lines. Another bomb was dropped on the strike leaders' camp to-day. Mr Buckley, a member of the Assembly who had taken a prominent- part in strike matters, was arrested on charges of conspiracy and sedition, Tlie president of the Sydney branch of the Amalgamated Engineers made a significant statement to-day. He said the Government's notion might bring about the collapse of the strike, so'far as its relates to the great body of men not concerned in the merits of the card system, but the skilled craft unions would never return to the shops under the threat of the lash.

The employees of the Riverstone meat works have broken from the union, and decided to resume work. A Federal order has closed all licensed premises at Broken Hill and Port Pirie,

The Broken Hill strikers have ap-' pointed a committee to keep order.' SYDNEY, August 27. ' The first contingent of free labour to work the Wallarch colliery have been despatched, The bakers have decided against the strike. Nearly eighteen hundred women have volunteered for various services. A train passing Coaldale was struck with a pea rifle bullet, which slightly wounded the fireman (Green) in the chest. It is alleged thnt Green had been previously warned to be careful, because he remained loyal to the Commissioners. The Government has offered a reward of £I,OOO for the discovery of the perpetrator. The Railway Commissioner's applications for a secession of the awards of the striking unions has been withdrawn in view of the large number of menremaining loyal. There aro many resumptions and other developments in the position. Over three hundred rail and tram men resumed to-day.

' Meetings of tramway men in the various depots decided to continue the strike. Buckley has been remanded on charges of seditious utterances and conspiracy. The Brisbane Government has issued an ultimatum to the northern railwaymen to resume on Tuesday or they will be dismissed. The Maekay-Cairns men have resumed. The Eailwaymen's Union has declared all goods coming over the New South Wales border as black, They refuse to handle it.

The Melbourne Wharf Usurers' Union, after hearing a i report from their delegates, who visited Sydney, decided to continue the strike.

Sev"en hundred employees of South Melbourne timber yards refused to handle timber unloaded' by non-union-

ists. The Carters' Union has decided not to touch the goods handled by volunteers. The Port Pine men decided against the strike. \

TROUBLE SPREADING TO I MELBOURNE. STATE COAL MINE TO CLOSE. SYDNEY, August 28, A mass meeting of tramway men resolved not to resume till ordered back by the Defence Committee. ( > Meat prices have'been fixed. There is a big increase in ■thoiprice of coal. It is anticipated that in'a few days in Melbourrio the. .wJibW'pf ' raber mills in the metropolitan area will be closed, making idle three thousand

' -' men. It is estimated that a|togethei 14,000 aio now out. The Cabinet Ims decided to conseivc the coal -supplies by ieducing the countiy twin seiviccs by 18,500 miles weekly. The Go\ eminent lias notified 1 that miles', the niuieis letuiii on Monda) they flill pciinaiiciitly close the Slate coal mine at Launceston. Tho w aim side woikeis ,it Buinio it'iuck, necessitating the closing of the harbour work' GENERAL HOLD-UP OF " AUSTRALIA. : TRAIN SERVICES NORMAL. SYDNEY, August 2!),* ' The Strike Committee denies Mr Fuller's |tftteinent that a 'general holdup of Australia is premeditated, null challenges him to prove h ; s baseless and groundless charges. The arrival of country volunteers continues. Over five thousand are now in the camps. '

An official stated that the general revenue of the railways and tramways for the week ended 25th August was 70 per cent,,' and the' goods traffic 00 per cent, normal times. The tram and suburban train services are almost normal and-the country services are steadily improving. • An attempt was •made to blow up the Silverton tramway workshops, otherwise Broken Hill is quiet,

The Government has commandeered all tho colliers and the first cargo front :he pits worked. The Government have repaired the two piers at Wollaroh Jetty, where- the Government .coal shipping was damaged by an explosion, The' perpetrators escaped, Eleven hundred strikors have returned during the past two days in Brisbane. A secret ballot of Townsville railwaymen decided to resume. Tn the Assembly, Mr Tolmie gave notice of motion censuring the Government for failing to deal with the northern railway strike. REPORTED TROUBLE/IN NEW ZEALAND.'

STATEMENT DENTED.

MELBOURNE, August 2S. Mr Groom received a telegram from Toowoomba stating that there liadi' been a serious industrial disturbance in New Zealand am! ISO Queenslanders had been killed. Altogether there were LIOO casualties. Mr Hughes subsequently stated that ho had received a cable from.. Mr Massoy absolutely denying the reports, and milling that the Dominion is industrially quiet from one end to the other. H SCARCITY OF COAL. LABOUR LEADER AKKESTED.

SYDNEY, August'3o, The tram conductors at Broken Hill have joined the strike. George Kerr, president of the Australia!). Workers' Association, lias been arrested at Broken Hill. The Coal Board recommended the fix-: ing of-the:-price of large coal f.0.b., Newcastle, at 20s,'and small IGa. - ■•■• ' The ferries are further curtailing their services owing to the shortage of coal. In the Brisbane Assembly, the closure was applied to Mr Tolmie's censure motion, which was defeated by 39 votes to 22. The Legislative Council, by 13 votes to 3- carried a motion censuring the Government in connection with the

strike. " In Melbourne, a gathering of 5000 decided not to pay rent during the strike. The gathering attempted a procession to the Federal Parliament

'onse, but mounted police charged and

lispersed them, . Mr Justice Higgins ilcleted the preference to unionists clause from the .vatersidc workers' awards, affecting Sydney, Melbourn, and Eremantle,.and

lias postponed the operation of the new provision for a week to enable the men to return to work. SYDNEY, August 31. At the request of Labour women and the strikers' wives, Lord Mayor Meagher offered his services as mediator and conferred with Mr Fuller, Ten' more arrests have been made at Broken Hill in connection with the recent raid on the mines, when the crowd forced those in charge o£ the engines to leave.

The' Sydney gas men have notified their intention to strike on Monday, and are refusing to handle coal won by free labour. \ 'The sunken Morindn has been declared black, and the shipwrights have refused to work. , Eleven thousand tons of coastal shipping is now running. Tn Melbourne there has been another collision between the police and the strikers, demonstrating in favour of cheaper food. The police dispersed the crowd with batons and arrested six, including Adela Pankhurst.

At Perth a new union of National Waterside Workers has applied for registration. At Brisbane the Premier announced that the northern raihvaymen have resumed. Conditions there arj now normal.

SYDNEY, September 1, Mcßestal, president of the Wharf Labourers' Unjon, was arrested yesterday on a charge of. sedition. Nine men, including Tom Barker, leader of the I.W.W. movement, linvo been convicted of being members of an unlawful association, and wore; sentenced to six months" hard labour each. Shots were fired at'a train near Carcoar. No damage was done. The volunteer settlers in camp were fired on without injury. Several arests were made,' -\. A mass'meeting of representatives of eight unions expressed confidence in their leaders,.and' resolved upon solidarity. The executive of ' ,iho Australian Workers' .Union, the largest organisation, decided to remain neutral during tlie strike. ; I The Lord Mayor is continuing his med:ation effort?, it is understood; under the strike leader's authority. ;

In the State Premior)'rcfused to discuss the stiikc. % , NEGOTIATIONS FAIL, GOVERNMENT TRUE TO VOLUNTEERS. (rcr Cable—Press Association—Copyright) SYDNEY, September 43. The Lord Mayoi 's negotiations failed tho Go\einmcnt lefusing to budgo ir its deteiminntion that tho loyalists nko havo come to its assistance must be re tnined. The Defence Committee demands that all strikors should to'reinstated. Tho.Lord Mayor continues his efforts and submits fresh proposals. The police raided an I.W.W, meeting at Broken Hill and arrested twentyeight, At Melbourne, Mr Justice Higgins granted an application for the registering of the Waterside Workers' Federation of-all ports, excepting Port Pirie. Tho order was made returnable for Monday'next.

A SERIOUS POSITION. INSTANCES OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Septomber 10. Special news of tho Australian strike received gives an indication of tho seriousness of the position, and shows that the strike has on occasions led to a resort to physical violence, Industry in New South Wales is to a large extent paralysed, .and Victoria is seriously affected. It is stated that no estimate can be made of tho number of men idle in New South Wales, but it is reckoned that it must reach at least six figures. In Victoria from 13,000 to 20,000 workers are out. The New South Wales workers wholly affected are railway men, tramway men, wharf labourers, miners, and seamen; those partially affected are carters, butchers, gas workers, and many qtliers. These men are partially flft'ecled owing to the workers' refusal to handle black goods, There are 5000 volunteer workers in camp on the Sydney Cricket Ground.

There is a case of a striker who attacked a volunteer worker being shot dead, This arose out of, a violent affair in Bridge road, Canipcnlowii, ami in the struggle that ensued two of the strikers were shot, one fatally. Reginald James Werno and Charles Thorpe, both volunteer workers, were making a return journey after having discharged a load of foodstuffs for the troops at the front. A number of men assailed them and called out insulting remarks. Several assailants jumped on the waggon and Thorpe was knocked from his seat. Werne stopped the horses and rushed to Thorpe's assistance, He drew his revolver and held the crowd off. Stone-throwing commenced, and Werne fired at the legs of one man and wounded him. Another man knocked Werne down, anil they struggled on the ground, Werne Again fired his revolver, and his opponent collapsed, shot through the heart. A railway, fireman on the Illawarra line was shot on August 27. The train was travelling fast at tho time of the shooting, and was nearing OoledaleJ The enginedriver heard two shots, and at the same time Green, the fireman, ! said he had been hit. At tho hospital it was found that he was suffering from | a bullet wound in the forearm and one ,in the cheek. He will recover.

At the Silverton Tramway Company's premises at Broken Hill some

plugs of gelignite, with detonators and'

fuse, were discovered in a corner of one of the buildings. The charge had apparently been laid ready for firing.

A number of men have been charged at Broken Hill with disorderly eonduct, and mobs of 500 or more went to the North mine, drew the finis from the

boilers and so stopped the pumps, Arrests have been made and the accused persons arc on remand.

NEWS FROM VARIOUS SOURCES. DIFFERING ACCOUNTS OF TROUBLE. (Per Press Association), SYDNEY, September 5. The strike situation compared with a week ago is practically unchanged. Over 5000 railway and tram men in N T ew South Wales have gone back to work, but several hundreds of g f aa-j works' employees have joined the strikers. Volunteers have beon coming into the city in a steady stream, and the great public services are being re-established in ,a most satisfactory manner. There has been a certain amount of disorder, during the .week, hut no collision on an alarming scale has occurrred botweeen the forces of law and the strikers. Volunteers .attacked* by strike pickets shot one man dead and' seriously wounded another, Shots have been fired iii different places at volunteers. Attempts have been made to wreck trains and destroy bridges. Generally speaking, there has been a surprising lack of disorder considering the extent of the disaffection and the extreme bitterness between great bodies of men. There have teen several attempts at mediation, the most* recent by the Lord Mayor, and the men's terms as announced by him show that the strikers will go back unconditionally except that they must all get their jobs back. But the Government demands an absolutely unconditional surrender, It says that it must protect the men who came to its aid' and filled the strikers' positions, but, that done, it will not be'ungenerous, As the question oi "victimisation" is all that remains outstanding between them, the col lapse of the. strike may'come at am moment. . Industrial activity in New Soutl Wales is partially paralysed, but no hopelessly so. Victoria; is seriously and South Australia, West Australia and Queensland as "slightly affected The New South Wales trades whid are wholly affected owing to- their em ployees having tan formally cnllei out, are the railway', men and the tram wayVmenj'all the wharf labourers, al the miners, and al} the-seamen,, why

carpenters,, butchers, gasworks em•ployecs, anil a great many otlicr unions report many of tlieiv numbers idle owing to the refusal to handle "black" goods. The employers are treating the latter exactly, as they are treating the men formally called out on strike. The number of men idle, in New' South Wales is incalculable, but it must inn into-six figures, and it is reckoned that there are from 15,000 to 20,000 workers on strike in Victoria, where the affected industries are, the wharf labourers, timber workers, confectioners' employees, coal miners, carters and drivers, matchmakers, seamen, and tanners, A great number of these men ceased work because they would not handle "black" goods from New South Wales. Hailway men are chiefly affected in tlic other States, and mostly in'port towns there are the wharf labourers and seamen.

The losses, of course, are colossal. It is calculated that in New South Wales alone the wages lost by unionists total £300,000 a week. As scores of little factories, in consequence of the general disorganisation, have had to close down, the weekly wages loss is probably nearer £500,000,' and this estimate is homo out by the weekly bank clearance. The effect of the strike upon the railway and tramway revenue is shown by the official returns for August. As compared with last year, the tramway receipts decreased by £57,056, and the railway receipts by £ll(i,33G—a total of 5203,392.