INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 69, 4 November 1911, Page 5

INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

A RAILWAY CONFERENCE

PURPOSE NOT DISCLOSED

(By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Press Association.)

(Received 4, 10.40 a.in.) London, November 3. The Premier, Mr. Ivuxton, Mr. Ask.viili, and representatives of the railway companies and workers conferred .it Downing Street. The purpose of the conference was not disclosed. TAXI-DRIVERS’ STRIKE. London, November 3. There are 18,000 out of work in consequence of the taxi-drivers’ strike. A STRIKE ENDED. (Received 4, (8.3 a.m.) The Hague, November 3. The brawling engineers have accepted the masters’ terms, and the strike has ended.

AUSTRALIA.

SYDNEY WHARF STRIKE

POLICE LEAVE STOPPED

Sydney, November 3. Mr. Justice Sclioles, Industrial Court, read a letter from Mr. Carmichael, officially notifying tiie existence of a strike, and asking for the appointment of a board to deal witli the trouble. Mr. Justice Sclioles directed that a Constitution Board, consisting of representatives of the employers and waterside workers, should sit by Friday next. :If by then the two sides have not nominated representatives, the Court will make nominations. In consequence of the strike, all police leave has been cancelled, and ‘‘Sunday off” is stopped.

FEDERAL PARLIAMENT’S

ATTITUDE

Melbourne, November 3. In the House of Representatives, in reply to questions, Mr. Fisher, Prime Minister, said the Government was doing, and would do, everything possible in the wharf labourers’ strike, no matter what the other Governments did. The Federal Government could lie relied on to enforce the law. The Attorney-General declared the State Government could take action if it desired. The Commonwealth Government could do nothing until it became an inter-State dispute. An overwhelming majority of men opposed the strike.' AFFAIRS AT A STANDSTILL. Sydney, November 3. Strike affairs are at a standstill, ponding the wharf labourers’ meeting to-morrow, regarding which there is a hopeful feeling. Some of tho clerks have declined to continue to work on tho wharves. A meeting of the ( lerks’ Union will bo held on Monday to discuss their attitude regarding tho strike. SYDNEY STRIKERS CONDEMNED BY MELBOURNE MEN. Molbourii", November 4. Mr. Spence, a member of tho House of Representatives, and President of tho Australian Woi leers’ Union, declared that no union can support the wharf labourers’ action, which was reprehensible from any viewpoint.

The council of the Waterside Workers’ Union has forwarded a resolution to ho read at to-day’s meeting regretting the men’s action, and sailing upon them forthwith to rc--sume work on the terms of the agreement honourably entered into.

MR. CARMICHAEL TO ADDRESS THE MEN.

COMPLAINTS BY STRIKERS

Sydney, November 4

Mr. Carmichael lias intimated his willingness to attend to-day’s meeting of wharf labourers and to address the men.

Judging by the number of individual complaints by strikers, it is hopid the men will to-day vote for return to work. That result, however, was expected at previous meetings. Great uncertainty prevails. FEDERAL ANT)'STATE ARBITRATION. FEDERAL SYSTEM FAVOURED. Sydney, November 4. That unionists prefer the Federal to State arbitration is shown by the fact that sixty-nine unions have registered under the Federal Act. THE LITHGOW STRIKE, v COURT PROCEEDINGS DROPPED. (Received 4, 10.30 a.m.) a Sydney, November 4. The Attorney-General is not proceeding further in the cases of Dixon and Cairnes in connection with the Lithgow riots, in which a jury failed to agree. FREMANTLE TRAM WORKERS. RESUME TEMPORARILY. (Received 4, 10.30 a.m.) Fremantle, November 4. ? The tram strikers resumed temporarily when promised an enquiry. NEW ZEALAND. THE SHIPPING STRIKE. (Per Press Assoj’ation ✓ Wellington, November 3. Mr Hally, Conciliation Commissioner, wrote to the Merchant Service Guild and to the Shipowners’ Federation with the object of bringing to an end to the present shipping trouble, and suggested that the Auckland agreement should bo taken as a basis on which to frame a settlement satisfactory to all parties. A meeting of the Guild was held to-day, when it was unanimously resolved to decline to entertain Mr Hally’s proposal. Wanganui, November 3. Wanganui, which is in the times of an officers’ strike, is about to undergo another, this time at the hands of the Government. About eighteen months ago Hon .Millar promised the waterside workers an increase of 2d per ton in handling cargo. The Railway Department carries out work on the wharf for the Board. The Wanganui Board, however, refused to pay the additional increase, and negotiations have been going on since the Hoard’s ultimatum to the Department in .January last that it would take over the work. The last communication to the Department was through the Board’s solicitors over three months ago. The solicitors yesterday received a reply that the Depart- | inert would cease to work tiro wharf on November 11th unless satisfactory arrangements wore arrived at. The

Board is holding a special meeting to-morrow.

The officers’ strike is assuming another phase here. Steamers are arriving to-morrow officered by captains, and alleged to have been loaded'at Wellington by non-unionists. A meeting of the waterside workers to-night is understood to have decided that if ■m Wellington Union is in sympathy, the local men will probably go out.