LIGHTNING STRIKE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26774, 18 May 1948, Page 5

LIGHTNING STRIKE

SYDNEY WITHOUT GAS WIDESPREAD ANGER AROUSED N.Z.P.A.—Copyright Rec. 9 p.m. SYDNEY, May 17. Without the slightest warning shift workers at the Mortlake gasworks struck on Saturday, cutting off the gas in 350,000 homes. Supplies to approximately 1,000,000 people living in all parts of Sydney were cut off at 9 p.m. The first news most householders had of the strike came in the form of hasty announcements and warnings on the radio that the mains in all houses should be turned off to prevent explosive mixtures forming in the pipes. The methods of the strikers, who obviously intended to cause the public the utmost inconvenience, have aroused widespread anger. The men say they have struck against an “ unconciliatory decision by the Conciliation Commissioner.” They claim double time for Sundays, time and a-quarter for night shifts, an increase in the industrial allowance from 6s to 13s a week, and general marginal increases. The strike later spread to North Shore, jeopardising the supply to 60,000 more homes. Nearly 1000 workers at a mass meeting at Mortlake endorsed the strike decision. Early this afternoon employees of the North Sydney Gas Company decided to cease work. The Arbitration Court has taken swift action to intervene in the strike, and a conference of parties has been called for to-morrow in an endeavour to reach a settlement. “We abide by arbitration. We cannot do anything else but obey the law.” said the manager of the Australian Gas an<\ Light Company, which firm is responsible for the supply of gas.to the greater part' of Sydney. The action of the gasworkers was condemned to-day by the Premier, Mr James McGirr, who said the State Government would do everything possible to end the dispute. He has sent an urgent telegram to the Prime Minister, Mr Chifiey, asking him to take immediate action. “ Failing Federal action, I am prepared to take whatever action this State can start,” he added Following a week-end of discomfort the newspapers have been inundated with calls from irate housewives, who had to endeavour to cook Sunday dinners over wood fires in backyards in a cold, blustering southerly wind. The Daily Telegraph devoted its front page to the revelation that the State president and secretary of the Gas Employees’ Union enjoyed hot meals during the week-end because they were equipped with fuel as. well as gas stoves, and that the Minister of Public Works and Local Government, Mr J. J. Cahill, possessed an electric stove. Mr Cahill said yesterday that he was “ not interested ” in the strike, as it was between the union and a private company.

“A million Sydney people will very soon want to know when the Government will get the gas on and how it proposes to punish those responsible for turning it off,” storms the Daily Telegraph. “The strike was designed to torture people so as to force the authorities to give way to a small minority and reach an all-time peak of shameless selfishness in .this stoppage.” “ Strikes of this disgraceful sort must provoke uneasiness inside as well as arouse anger outside union circles,” says the Sydney Morning Herald. “ Does the trade union movement want the arbitration system, which it worked so hard to secure, to collapse? ” At present 1,000,000 are affected and 3000 employees are without jobs this morryng. Hospitals and institutions are suffering with homes.