TRAFFIC CHAOS IN LONDON.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 9 June 1924, Page 9

TRAFFIC CHAOS IN LONDON.

Hold-up at Power Stations.

LITTLE CHANCE OF STRIKE SPREADING.

By OabU Pr«a* Anaociadon —OopyrighS. LONDON, June 6.

The chaos at tho London electric railway, owing to the stiike of shopmen and workers at the power stations, was intensified to-day. The central London railway station was closed owing to the shutting

down at midnight of tho power station supplying it. Fifty-five Railway stations are now closed.

Six thousand of the uniformed staff are now out in sympathy with the strikers.

The possibility of an immediate strike of locomotive men has been ruled out, owing to the Locomotive Delegates’ Conference deciding io take a ballot in the event of the companies’ reply proving unsatisfactory.

The underground railways management issued a warning of the improbability of maintaining today’-s restricted services to-morrow owing to indications of other workers withdrawing.

MANAGERS’ REPLY TO MEN,

ATTITUDE OF GOVERNMENT DEFINED. Received 5.5 p.m., June 8. Reuter’s Telegrams. LONDON, June 6. The railway managers replied to •the locomotive men, declining to reopen negotiations. Meanwhile the Electrical Trades Union has instructed its members employed in the London underground railways, to cease work, thus conferring a degree of official recognition of the present strike. Mr Shaw (Minister of Labour), replying to questions in the House of Commons, promised the Government would give protection to willing workers and maintain essential services in the event of the strike spreading. He declared that the Government declined to recognise anybody except a body capable of negotiating a settlement.

SEVEN THOUSAND STRIKERS,

POSITION REGARDED EASIER. By Gable—Prs-U Vss-oriation—Oopvrlght. Received 5.5 p.m., June 8. LONDON, June 7. The railway strike position is officially described as slightly better. The central London railway has reopened, but the Hampstead line is closed. It is estimated that about 7000 men are now striking. It is officially stated that the executive of the Amalgamated Engineering Union, did not authorise the strike of its shopmen members on the London electric railways, because the national claims by the union for a wage advance for all railway shopmen is being negotiated. Thus the strike remains unofficial, except as regards the electric trades union executive. The Locomotive Engineers’ Union, following the railway managers’ refusal of their demands, decided to ask for an immediate meet-

ing with the managers, before taking drastic action. Officially there will be no stoppage on the main lines during Whitsun. Since the employees at the power station supplying the metropolitan trains have refused to join the strikers, thus traffic towards Wembley continues. GOVERNMENT PREPARES TO ACT EMERGENCY COMMITTEE OF CABINET APPOINTED.

&T Cable—*-’ns« Association —Oopjr!i*Ht. j Received 5.5 p.m., June 8. t LONDON, June 7. J As the result oil Cabinet’s discus- J sion on the strike, the Government

has set up a committee of Ministers with power to act as required. Mr T. Shaxv, Mr Henderson, Mr Gosling, and Mr Wedgwood are remaining in London.