ANNOUNCEMENT OF STRIKE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17456, 28 April 1920, Page 7

ANNOUNCEMENT OF STRIKE.

EXECUTIVE TAKES ACTION. NO WORK AFTER MIDNIGHT. STATEMENT BY ASSISTANT MANAGER. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN" CORRESPONDENT. J WELLINGTON. Tuesday. The railway dispute was brought to a crisis to-day by the executive of th* Locomotive Enginedrivers, Firemen, and Cleaners" Association. ■ The executive announced in the morning that its members in the North Island had been directed to cease work at midnight. The South Island members had been asked to delay action for the present. The instruction is to be obeyedj in Wellington, and the members of the association employed at Thorndon and, Larabton stations will leave their worK ( when twelve o'clock strikes. The Railway "Department intends to make an attempt to run trains, in spite of the stoppage of the locomotive men. The assistant general manager stated tonig' that he hoped to be able to run a lesfcfcVed suburban service to. and from Wellington to-morrow. The men had given no notice of their intention to strike and he could not say exactly what would bi- r-ossible to-day, but the Department wt. Id do its best with the means left at its disposal. It is likely that none but suburban trains will be run to-morrow, but restricted services on the longer routes are being planned by the Department. The assistant general manager added that he bad received no communication from the executive of the Enginedrivers, Firemen, and Cleaners' Association, but he learned during the morning of the proposed stoppage of work. The men had given no notice of their intention to take this step, and it was impossible for him to say much on the subject until he had secured ful ; er information.

The Railway Department, he added, would do its best in the face of the difficulties that had been created. The Department w<>uld endeavour to arrange for the continuance of certain railway services. He understood that the stoppage was intended to be confined to the North Island, but this was a point on which fuller information was required. He would rather not discuss the measures the Department might put in hand for maintaining the necessary communications of the Dominion. Th e locomotive men have been directed to complete the running of trains that were on the lines' at midnight. This applies to the through express trains on the Main Trunk line. The expresses that left Wellington and Auckland to-day are to complete their journeys, and then they will stop as far as the members of the association are concerned until the dispute is settled. The members of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants are not > covered by the strike notice issued by the locomotive men to-day. and their intentions have still to be disclosed. Some of the branches of the A.S.R.S. have • arried strongly-worded resolutions regarding the dispute with the Railway Department, and it was reported today that many of the members were desirous of giving active support to the locomotive men immediately. The A.S.R.S. is the organisation of the traffic branch, and includes the guards, porters, shunters, : platelayers, signalmen, workshop hands, ■ nri <:ther railway workers apart from j the first division officers and the mem- ' ber.- of the Locomotive Association. '