THE LABOUR WAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10235, 18 August 1911, Page 3

THE LABOUR WAR.

THE RAILWAY MEN

BONUS OFFERED TO LOYALISTS

MILITARY RESERVISTS LIABLE

TO BE MOBILISED

SUPPOSED INCENDIARISM

ATLANTIC LINERS DELAYED

ISLE OF MAN ISOLATED. United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph— Copyright. (Received August 18, 8.5 a.m.)

LONDON, August 16

The Midland Railway Company has offered the loyalists in its employ a bonus of 50 per cent on their wages during the currency of the strike. Military reservists to the number of 21,000 are employed on the various railways, and these men the Government is entitled- to summon for military service at any moment. A number of small fires have occurred among the shipping at Liverpool. The fires are supposed to be the work of incendiarists. It is doubtful whether the Atlantic liners will be able to leave owing to their inability to coal. The crews of the Cunard and White Star lines have been paid off. Lord Raglan has applied for a cruiser to transport provisions to the Isle of Man, ordinary communication having ceased owing to the strike. THE RAILWAY MEN'S NEW DEMANDS. (Received August 18, 9.30 a.m.) At to-day's Labour Conference, the executives of the Railway Men's Unions introduced a new feature, demanding the reinstatement of all the men locked out before discussing the terms of settlement of the railway men's claims. There has been fresh trouble with the London dockers, and several cruisers have arrived in the Mersey. THE' RAILWAY CONCILIATION BOARDS. (Received August 18, 9.55 a.m.) The "Chronicle" and the "Morning Leader " uphold the principle of the Conciliation Boards. The former declares that tile sudden repudiation of the agreement of 1907, which would have ended in 1914. will alienate public symoatliy. CONFERENCES.

The railway managers and the railway. men's representatives conferred separately with the Board of Trade. Mr Asquith attended. The railway men's delegates declined the offer of an immediate Royal Commission to inquire into grievances respecting the working of the Conciliation Board. The managers offered to accept it, and Mr Asquith warned the railway men of the consequences of their refusal. RAILWAY MEN TO STRIKE. (Received August 17, 11.15 a.m.) The railway men's secretary announces that a strike will now begin. PREPARING FOR EVENTUALITIES. Six train-loads of troOps brought twelve machine-guns to London. LIGHTERMEN'S BREACH OF AGREEMENT. Mr Winston Churchill has stated that, contrary to agreement, some London lightermen have struck, objecting to the employment of non-unionists. FURTHER RIOTING IN LIVERPOOL. There has been further rioting at Liverpool. POWER-HOUSE MEN " OUT." The gravest feature has been the calling out of the power-house men in order to plunge the city into darkness and stop the tramways.

CONCENTRATING THE TROOPS

THE DOCKERS. (Received August 18, 10.25 a.m.) The troops from Aldershot Lave reached London, and arrangements have been made for 5000 to camp in Victoria Park.

The dookers complain of a breach of the overtime agreement. THE SITUATION AT MANCHESTER AND LIVERPOOL. The people of Manchester are subsisting on reserves of food. Hundreds of the public are walking along the railway lines. Efforts to induce the tramway men to strike failed. The appearance of the cruisers at Liverpool to protect the shipping, with bluejackets prepared to land, coupled with the great military activity, has impressed the mobs. Tom Mann declares that he will not issue further permits, and adds that the military can take the responsibility of getting the carts through the streets.

Many shopkeepers have removed their tinned goods from their windows. The shipowners offer to withdraw the lock-out on terms.

At Leeds 5000 railway men have struck, and many at Blackburn, Bradford and Leicester, in the absence of a truce, but others await a signal from headquarters. Trains from Manchester, Huddersfield, and all the Midlands between Hull and Sheffield are suspended. Rioters destroyed the Midland signalbox at Sheffield, because it was used after the signalmen had struck. The Gordon Highlanders have arrived to protect the railways. THE MEAT TRADE. CARGOES UNDISCHARGED. A cablegram received from Messrs Gilbert Anderson and Co., London, today states that owing to the disorganisation of trade in consequence of the transport strikes the following quantities of meat are awaiting discharge at the London docks:—Mutton 600,000 carcases, lamb 500,000 carcases, beef 450,000 quarters.