ENGINEERS' STRIKE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 1872, 13 February 1920, Page 7

ENGINEERS' STRIKE.

FEDERAL CABINET'S ACTION. CONDEMNED BY MR HOLMAN. By Cable. — Press As/iocialion. — Copyright. SYDNEY, February 12. Mr W. A. Holman (Premier of New South Wales) severely condemns (he Federal proclamation in connection with the engineers' strike. He says: "Though the strike be a hundred limes wrong, an irresponsible autocracy is worse. The use of the War Precautions Act for purposes utterly unconnected with the War is a most grave abuse of authority." \\ proclamation prohibits all strike contributions and loans of money or goods to the marine engineers. The banks are also , instructed to refuse to permit the engineers to withdraw funds. The proclamation provides that any bank official who honours a cheque presented by an agent or member of the Institute, will be guilty of an offence, ami concludes:—"No person; organisation, or association shall, by word or deed, instigate or aid a continuance of the strike. 'Hie penalty for infringement is a fine of £IOO or six months' imprisonment, or both, and, if a person is prosecuted on indictment the fine may be any amount, or the imprisonment any term, or both." The proclamation is issued under the War Regulations Act.] 0.8. U. PROPOSAL DEFEATED. SYDNEY, February 12. The Australian Workers' Union Conference, on the committee's report, has definitely turned down the proposed formation of One Big Union.