THE OAMARU MAIL THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 1920. THE RAILWAY STRIKE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14044, 29 April 1920, Page 4

THE OAMARU MAIL THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 1920. THE RAILWAY STRIKE.

To-dav we-have to Record that the railway strike in. the North Island has extended, and now embraces the men of the ' A.S.R.S. Such an extension was clearly foreseen, for. it was patent that members of that" body could not, at the call of irhe Railway Department, be expected to undertake work outside their own duties in. an effort to frustrate the s realisation of the purpose or the engine-drivers, firemen, and cleaners in resorting to a strike as the-last-means of forcing'consideration of their grievances.' The men of the A.S.R.S. are in close sympathy with the strikers, for they, too, have grievances to %vhiefl thev hVve not succeeded in getting Ministerial attention. The Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants has honestly striven by' every;constitutional means to obtain a- fair settlement of outstanding claims, but without success. The last appeal made to the Minister of Railways (Mr Massey) was to* set up a tribunal under the Labor Disputes Act to deal with the matter, but to the letter of the Executive preferring that reasonable request no reply has been vouchsafed/and the patience of the men lias been exhausted. BajsLMr Massey, gn-eii a definite rpromise that lie-.-wotiK. adopt such a course after the close of tho visit of-"the = Prince of AVales he might have averted a strike. Even now if he will pursue that simple and proper course he may bring the strike to an end. If he does not there will be no knowing how far the trouble may extend. It will assuredly embrace,the whole cf the railwaynien Island, while tltereiarevindications that Tele'gra'ph Service may be included.'for.the -officers of that Department are?;*in"- a condition, bordering: ou revolt because of failure to '.remove wrongs under which they are suffering. The fire has been kindled,-and unless it is promptly, extinguished it may become a niost.A'disastrojis conflagration. . The strike must be quickly settled or a general industrial upheaval be looked for. .'■':.