LABOUR TROUBLES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10087, 28 September 1918, Page 8

LABOUR TROUBLES

BRITISH RAILWAY STRIKE 4. GEEAT LABOUR SECRETARY'S RETIRING EFFORT. By Telegraph—Prpss Association—Copyright Australinn and N.Z. Cable AMooiation- ' LONDON, September 26. Mr J. H. Thomas, M.P., secretary to the railwaymen, addressing the mass meeting of strikers at Cardiff, said: "The Cabinet told me it accepted the men's challenge, and that not a comma in the agreement would be altered, even if the whole union came out. The members of the Cabinet said they were going to discharge their duties as a Government regardless of the consequences or circumstances. If I were Premier I would have done the same thing, as food was rotting in the docks." Mr Thomas's reference to the war .position aroused loud cheers, and Mr Thomas concluded: -'Then show you believe in the war." The men, he said, had been led into a trap, and now realised it. They were ashamed to walk in the streets. . The strikers are returning m South Wales on the Great Western'system generally. Some of the London strikers have returned, and it is expected that resumption of work will be general to-day. _, . . ~ Mr. Thomas tendered his resignation as secretary of the union. He says deiectedlv that he has lost power" as a leader," and feels that he is no longer able to guarantee the men's honour. But Mr Thomas is very ill, and may not persist in his resignation. He states that he has been officially assured that there will be no victimisation. CLYDE SHIPYARD TROUBLE. Aus. and N-Z. Cable Assn. and Renter. LONDON, September 26. A statement from a reliable source regarding the strike of the Clyde shipwrights and other shipyard trades, which las spread to Barrow and the -east coast:of Scotland, points ou* that 'the action of the men, who demand, a minimum wage of £5 a week is disavowed by their executives, and, moreover is a repudiation of the undertaking by the shipyard trade unions, that there would be no stoppages of work, contained in the scheme to secure the utmost production framed by them and their employers last April. As ship production is a most vital national necesity, the Government must ..act / pre aptly. The law provides thi&B. methods—enlistment in the Army.vStstrikers of military age, the ringleaders iinder the Defence oj tho Realm Act, and the fining ers by the munitions tribunal, lhe decision of the Government will probably be announced shortly. CONFIDENCE 7 IN MR THOMAS. Aurtrnlinn and 3.7,. A^ iatio . D (Received Seotember 27, 10.80 p.m.) .*< .„-.v,... ~ LONDON. September r "The"failwavmen's executive has pass-.! ed ah expression of confidence in Mr I Thomas and asked him to reconsider; his resignation when in better health. Mr Thomas savs his decisionu is final. | U.S. LIB£RTY~LuAN j PRESIDENT WILSON TO SPEAK ON SUBJECT. j Australian and tf.'sf "cabl* A*oci»tW J ■ NEW YORK, September 28. Tho Washington correspondent ot tne | "Now York Times" state* that Presi- . dent Wikon will speak in New York , on Fridav, on the openrag of the j Fourth Liberty Loan The speech is ! awaited throughout the country with the greatest interest. POST-WAR BOYCOTT 0? GERMANY -.,"■ BY FRENCH'SEAMEN.' Australian and 5.7.. Cable Association (Received September 27, 7.40 p.mJ LONDON, September 2b. A Havre'3 agency states that the ■ French Seamen's Union has unanimous- | lv • decided to boycott Germany after the. war, similarly;to the British seamen's boycott. m VALOUR AWARDS TO NEW ZEALANDEKS. ; (From Captain Malcolm Ross, Official ■ Correspondent with the New Zealand Forces in the Field.) The following awards have been m \lv to Military Medal.—Sergeant W. B. Timmins, Rifles. Military Medal.— Lance-A>rporal D. D McPherson, Trooper A. Pritchard, Ot'a<-o- Privates M. Coxhead, Private I G Land, Sergeant J. Welch, Sergeant L. Thomas, Private S. Fairweathcr, Corporal L. G. North, Sergeant H M Morris, all of Auckland; Rifleman J. Lowe, Rifleman O. W. Battery, Rifle Brigade. OVERSEA FORCES JETT LOSSES UP TO AUGUST. . Australian and V.Z. Cable A-s>noiation. (Received September 27, 9.16 p.m.), NEW YORK. September 26. , fine nett losses in the Canadian military forces overseas up to August Ist total 115,806. which includes non-com-missioned officers and men given com. missions in the Imperial Army. SPANISH INFLUENZA. This dangerous malady has already «-ch<=d America: and it may bo in New later on A sure preventive i* '•-f'-aeur.ol." Us° daily and check the development of incipient tiiHtioßS* bacilli. Insist «n Fluenzol. Is 6d and 2a 6d. '____