THE RAILWAY STRIKE.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 12042, 1 May 1920, Page 5

THE RAILWAY STRIKE.

CONFERENCE ABORTIVE

Wellington, April 30

A conference took place between Mr Masaoy and the executive of tbe locomotive men at 2.45. There were hopes that a settlement would be arrived at without great difficulty, and rumours were telegraphed to the effect that it had actually come to pass, but at 5 o clock the conference had not come to an agreement, and the men withdrew. This is the position at present.

STRIKERS' POSITION

OUTLINED,

Wellington, April 80 "The executive of the E.F.C.A is I arm in its attitude," said the secretary to a newspaper reporter to-night "We have made claims we consider to be fair and just. We consider that failing a settlement on the lines , we have suggested the alternative is , for the Government to go ' the schedule of wages and conditions f point by point and arrive at a settle- ] ment We are anxious to bring the 1 dispute to a speedy settlement, and i with that end in view we are pre- ■ pared to accept the Conciliation Com- , mission proposed by Mr Massey.' " we are to K o through the .wages,and conditions item by item, it will take a considerable time and prolong t he dispute. We met the Prime Minister today m what we consider to tie a fair way. We gave iv to him on a good many points, or at least we considered we d ; d, and when v?e asked him to concede one point ne would not do it. That is where we stand to-night." Mr McArley added that the conference bet wean the Prime Minister and the exejutive of the E.I.C.A. had broken co pletely and no proposal had yet been made for its resumption. He could not tell what future developments would be. PRIME MINISTER'S REPLY. Wellington, April 30 The Prime Minister replied tonight to the statement that the locomotive men had given way on several points and that he had refused to eive way on the one concession asked of him. "Ail I can say," he stated, . "is that; the points they are supT osed to have conceded were oZ no * Una at all. What really happened ] Zt, w that, with ths assistance of Sir ■%- ancis Bell, I simply straightened f n their language and ideas, and put t/L ii in workable form, in which Ihlx -e I was prepared to accept them. tnm wed to Mr McArley and hia fr??ni "is practically the same condi- }£?* which the other branches of the lei -vice have accepted. He asked rnrnfh er concessions, which I found 'ffimtio *»ible t 0 The granting nfthTS oncessions to tffe locomotive ™«n wm 1W " av * been S rosslv UD !^ ir £ H,« or herrailwaymen and'to other branches of the public service. »

A.S.K.S. MEN R ESUME WORK. •vn-thpr important developments • « ,L n * iatious for a settlement '? ?! £n ™ iymen'B strike took plane ot the railwt '* u f the Prime lf Bte c i Difference with the f « « «nffiP ials a settlement was sumo work r telegram was reThe following \ eßter | ay by Mr T eeived at noon 5 f ßte 0 Y t J e Oarlyle, secretai ?rs • branch ot the A I \ ngt^ Q> April 30 1 Society .Railway Amalgamated olare( foff. SettleServants' strike de cia A eement en . ment arrived at, vvnrkera' Addorsed by Tra M pojt * m^fr e e r p B ort^r yisory Board, Men ticu * ara fol . duty at once. xuil * IOW R S kAMPTGN, P. \™Xcretary M J MAUE\. Gent 'ral^becretary auoklandSotr esuming, The Auckland *branefe , v ft Serv3nts gamated Society oi' Raifw. work until has decided not to resume'\ , d r j vers the strike of the engineer* ' 3( j rp hi ' B firemen and cleaners is BBtt2a. eting at decision was reached at a nra about the Trades' Hall, at wb.isS> esent 1000 railwaymen were pa irOIU During the meeting.a telegram "Welthe president and sscretary in'. tne lingtou was read, stating Shaft „j strike of the society httd beea sets&k and that members were to work immediately WANT OF CONFIDENCE. Wellington, Ap'iii' 3G 1 ' The following resolution w'js cu.'ried by a meeting of liio local branch; of the N.Z.K.Q.I:—"That Mils meeting of members of t'le Weliingtoa branch of the Railvay Officers' lustitute affirms that it has absolutely no confidence in the present rnanagHment's staff administration, and we call upon the Government to tase steps whereby a more up tc-dafce staff shall be ensured; v/hirh, while protecting the interests of the Dominion, shall also advance and conserve employees. Farther, we are strongly of opinion that had this been done in the past, the present strike would not have eventuated." SEAMEN'S SYMPATHY. Dunedin, April 30 The Seamen's Union, at a general meeting on Thursday, resolved as follows-.—" That this meeting of members of the' Dunedin branch of the Federated Seamen's Union unanimously endorse the action of railway employees in attempting to bring about a mora humane system in their working conditions, and a further increase iti their altogether insufficient Wo extend to them the hand of comradeship in their light and fervently hope that their right will meet with all suc--0338. The executive of the Otago Labour Council to-day forwarded a resolution to the secretaries of the )AAILfI~JhJGL-MtiLE. OJA, congra-

1000. MEN STILL OUT.

AS.R.S. Wl RESUiE.

tulating-the railway wortter upon" their determination to briiW to an end the scandalous P*o3rastiJ»tion of the Government in d&almg WrtlJ their claims for adequate rermmeration and better conditions.

AUCKLAND K. 0.1. FAVOUR

STRIKE,

Auckland, April 30 Ths Auckland Railway Officers' Institute held a strike ballot to-day. Although the officials declined to make abatement as to *be result of the ballot, it is understood there was a two to one maaoriSy in favour of a strike.

SOUTH ISLANDERS ASSIST FINANCIALLY.

Christchurch, April 30 At a largely attended meeting .of imployees of the Addington Bailway Workshops to-day, the omnion was expressed Shat the North Island ihould not be allowed to bear the Loss of pay, and it was resolved that she various railway organisations in the South Island should be levied upon with the object of paying the lenendents of the men a porton of the pay lost. This decision was ar- , rived at unanimously, and the exe- I outive was invited to communicate with ail South island branches with a view to collecting the funds necessary. - ALLEGATION DENIED. Officers of both the striking organisations have alleged that their telegrams have been delayed in transmission and that there has been £2£ of secrecy. Mr McArley secretary of the E E.C.A , said he believed undue delay had occurred in the transmission of telegrams sent bv his organisation during recent davs "Because of our suspicions we have inaugurated a special motor Service throughout the North Island in order to ensure the utmost secrecy nf our communications with tne nranches?" he stated. "We think our telegraph messages have been tapped. One urgent message sent to Auckland has not yet been replied to although it necessitated an immediate reply. We can only believe that the telegram was never aelivered." Mr McArley added that he recognised the serious nature of the allegation. His organisation was making further inquiries. Mr M J Mac*, secretary of the A S.R.S, stated that ho had been warned two days ago that telegrams were being diverted/ He had learned that at leist three urgent telegrams sent out on Wednesday night in connection with the ca ling of the strike had not reached their destinations by yesterday morning. These allegations ore described as ••absolutely preposterous" by omoera of the Post and Telegraph Depart- 1 ment. All telegrams taken over the -

counter go through the same'Channels. They are despatched to tneir destinations with the least possible delay, and they are handled only by telegraph officers, -who have taken an oath of secrecy. Leakages of the kind suggested would require tne connivance of mauy public servants within the P and T Department. The suggested delay in the delivery of telegrams will be investigated in all cases where particulars ot me \ messages are supple a." POSITION IN BOTORUA. Botorua, April 30 The esiracrdinnry situation arising in Botorua aa a result of the railway strike is not without its humorous side, The spectacle of staid Ministers of the Crown and private secretaries, usually so completely armoui-ad as to be completely iospervioaH to excitement over exigencies- of travel, hurrying round arranging and rearranging journeys this way and that out of Botorua. was one -hat could not fail to raiea a smile on the faces even of those who were beset by uncertainty ss to their own prospective movements. Lately, many roads have led to Botorua, and many feet have trod them, but now the chiefest of them is closed, and the means of nassage over others is limited. Cars are reserved largely for official parties, and even they cannot always do what they would like to do. Some have succeeded, but the majority are still in the throes of unsertainty, and people anxious to get to their homes must resign themselves to wait till the air ) lears. Tho position of the towns-

Ic. opip j? aot altogether enviable, I P* ! is in short supply, and wood, ; CJoa yh plentiful at no great distance i thcne\ '•: be got because of the eternal I oar.-iOv scarcity barring the way, and :■ lab-unrv *ks ere iusufficieut to. stand f locs s?Ol of the large temporary j the -fraia When the shops opened | uepilation. 'ii there was a rnsh as ! this si'tornG*. ->ufc a plan of rstioning ; anticipated, 1 some extent, aucl prej at at; Adopted to nenng," thus ensurj vented- any "■cos. - small means would ! *np that people as. their immediate iia've sufficient Jeks evacuation neers. With the <*x. the Fituation of the visiting hundst » course, but will become ess'er,. ©j. i not tiasperat present it is, sfcoraßi. - the town's ate, causing managers oi corn. As affairs qtite a lot of com <j 0 f the the hour of the departai\ v people Roval train drew near man. 0 f the gathered in the vicinity i not station, and, though they hau c, 0 f lost interest in the central figur. o QS the Prince,- there were many cork te eyes turned upon those i'ortana ones able to get away in the train.