THE STRIKES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 143580, 19 August 1911, Page 3

THE STRIKES.

RAILWAYMEN ORDERED OUT. A CONFERENCE POSSIBLE. TROOPS BEING MOVED FORWARD. By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. LONDON, August 18. The railway strike has officially begun on a considerable scale. How far it will become general remains to be seen. Thousands have already joined those on strike. After the abortive Board of Trade’s conference the railwayman's executives met the Parliamentary Committee of the Trade Union Congress and the Labour Party of the House of Commons. Afterwards the secretary of the Amalgamated Railwayinon announced that war had been declared on the railways for their refusal of a Royal Commission. Mr. Asquith, the Premier, addressed them, and said the Government would not allow a paralysis of the railway traffic. Railwayinon would incur a heavy responsibility if they would not weigh his words carefully. The joint executives subsequently issued a manifesto in reply to Mr. Asquith, declaring that his statement was an unwarrantable threat against the railway workers, who for years had repeatedly asked the Board of Trace and also Parliament to amend the conciliation scheme.

Fifteen hundred telegrams giving the signal to strike wore dispatched. ; The Labour Party and Parliamentary Committee of the Trade Union Congress have not resolved to help the railwaymen.

Afterwards the position was discussed by the Labour Party’s executive. Dissatisfaction was expressed with the unsympathetic attitude of the Government, and it was decided to give notice of motion Of censure on the Government.

The scene of action was transferred to the House of Commons.'

Mr. Lloyd George thought the men did not fully appreciate the character of Mr. Asquith’s proposal, hut had proceeded to recommend a great strike. Ho felt that if the .conflict must come it should come only after a full understanding of the character of the proposals. He was glad to announce that negotiations had been reopened, and that the parties were considering this interpretation that the Government did not intend a roving commission for the purpose of staving off the evil hour. Tlie commission would consist of three representatives of the companies and three of the men, with an independent chairman, and would meet forthwith and arrive at a prompt decision. Mr. Ramsay MacDonald said that apparently there had been a misunderstanding, but so grave was the position, and so keenly did they feel the position, that he had intended to move a vote of censure on the Government for the way in which it had conducted negotiations. The Labourites would now do their utmost to bring about peace. Mr. Lloyd George said if the commission were accepted the members would be appointed on Saturday and meet on Monday. The Government would take immediate administrative action on the commission’s decision, and, if necessary, summon 'Parliament. i

The railway executive sat late, considering Mr. Asquith’s proposal, and adjourned till tho morping without decision.

Stirring scenes were witnessed at Aldershot and Waterloo Station over the departure and arrival of troops. Two hundred cavalry’ and 11,000 infantry were transported to London during the night and bivouacked in London parks. Three thousand Guards arrived from Perbright. The Aldershot command is being utilised in London, while tho southern command is being concentrated on Salisbury Plain in readiness to proceed to the strike areas. Six hundred W 7 est Yorkshires were dispatched to Leeds, six hundred Durhams to Bradford, and two hundred Royal Engineers have left Chatham for Liverpool. Late last night traffic was proceeding normally at the London termini. Few men ceased work except at St. Pancras, where 500 strikers in the goods departs ment endeavoured to induce the passengermen to strike. Tho Thames lightermen will strike today. It is expected that the W’hole of tho transporters of the United Kingdom will be called out by Tuesday.

TROUBLE IN SHEFFIELD,

BLANK CARTRIDGES NO USE. (Received August 19, 8.5 a.m.) LONDON, August 18. There are turbulent conditions in Sheffield. A mob attempted to tear up the railway lino, but an engine conveying police frustrated the attempt. The crowd lassoed the driver of a beer lorry and brutally assaulted him. They burst the barrels and indulged in an orgy. The police cleared the street with baton charges. The mob succeeded in blockading the coal depots, causing the stoppage of several works and rendering thousands idle. The local territorials at Newcastle have been ordered to return their rifles to the armoury.

A meeting at Dublin of the railwaymen on the principal lines decided, to strike to-day. Several collieries in the vicinity of Manchester, employing thirty thousand men, have closed. Pickets at suburban stations, failing to induce the signalmen’ to leave their posts, out the signal telegraph wires. Colonel Seely, in tho House of Commons, said that, where, possible, the reading of the Riot Act would be precoded by a bugle call. In reply to a query, he said it was undesirable that the first volley should be blank cartridge. Sixteen thousand troops are now encamped in London.

The fishing industry is paralysed, causing a daily loss of £IO,OOO. The police in various centres are arranging for citizens to act as special constables.

Tom Mann, referring to the shipowners, said that he hoped final negotiations would bo resumed in a few days.

The iron works are dismissing several thousand men.

The Cambrian miners at Tonypandy will resume work on the basis of the London agreement drafted in May. SERIOUS STATE IN LIVERPOOL. LONDON, August 18. Liverpool is going from bad to worse. A famine is threatened. The spectre of pestilence hovers over the city, which is presenting a. most dirty appearance. The scavengers have struck, and the daily cleaning is unperformed. This is a menace to health.

An effort to plunge the city into darkness was partially successful. The authorities, however, secured assistance, and maintained street lighting. The theatres are closed. The railway services are fairly maintained, except in Manchester. The hotels close at two in the afternoon. The sale of bottled liquids has been interdicted, in order to prevent the bottles being used as missiles.

Rioting has begun in tho Scotland Road area of Liverpool, many bakers’ shops being looted in the lower parts of the city, where the pinch of hunger is keenly felt.

Two thousand special constables have been enrolled, and the tramways aro suspended in order to conserve tho lighting current till nightfall.

A GRAVE SITUATION. MORE TROOPS FOR LIVERPOOL. (Received August 10, 1ß,a.ra.) LONDON, August 18. The railway managers, after interviewing Mr. Buxton, President of tho Board of Trade, decided not to meet tho Board of Trade officials again until there was some change in tho men’s attitude. Viscount Elibank has issued a whip stating that Mr. Asquith, in view of a grave situation in the country, asked tho House of Commons to reassemble on Tuesday. The raihvaymen arc urging the London tramwaymen to strike. A battalion of Lancers from Chester proceeded to Liverpool, where tho Lord Mayor fears a famine will cause looting in the poor districts.

PARLIAMENT STILL SITTING,

(Received August 19, 8.25 a.m.) LONDON, August 18,

Parliament will remain sitting during the crisis. Air. Churchill foreshadowed larger .measures if they should be necessary.

Troops are guarding most of the stations and the main lines through tho suburbs.

The railway strike is only partial in London, and those concerned in the provinces are considering Air. Asquith's proposal. The men allege that 200,000 employees have struck throughout the country.

INTERRUPTIONS TO RAILWAY SERVICE.

BUT STRIKE NOT GENERAL,

, (Received August 19, 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, August 18. The west of England is isolated from tho Midlands.

Tho services from Fishguard to Swansea and many industrial centres in tho north of England have been stopped, and there is a partial suspension at, Bristol and Cardiff.

A majority of tho Midlands men in the potteries district have accepted the bonus offered hy tho company to men who remain loyal. Six hundred troops have reached Leicester.

'The traffic at Abercaim is suspended and it is expected that twenty thousand colliers will be idle to-morrow. Territorials at Salford were ordered to return their rifles. A roll call was held of the Royal Engineers to ascertain if there were men capable of driving locomotives. One hundred and fifty vessels are held up at Cardiff, and 40 at South Shields. The cruiser Warrior carried foodstuffs to tho Isle of Man. Colliers at Nottingham held up many Mansfield trains, and the service has been abandoned. Tho goods traffic at Nottingham is at a standstill. The strikers attacked six waggonloads of moat leaving Birmingham goods station. After a sharp fight with the police the strikers Were repulsed. Traffic in Lancashire is greatly disorganised. Heywood is isolated, and the cotton mills will be unable to open until Monday owing to lack of cotton.

Mr. Churchill, in tho House of Commons, said that the Government was taking steps to ensure uninterrupted supplies of food, fuel and other essentials. It must he clearly understood that the people's food supply and the country’s safety were more important than anything else. Th© House adjourned till Tuesday. An express was helld up in South Wales for ten hours. Two signal boxes in Monmouthshire were sot-on fire.

Thirty-seven miles of sidings at Eowsloy are filled with trains. Bluejackets at Portsmouth are ordered to be in readiness for garrison duties in the event of troops starting for strike areas. Public-houses at Birkenhead were ordered to close at two in tho afternoon owing to tho strike riots.