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Star (Christchurch), Issue 12647, 3 June 1919, Page 4

The Tramway Board ■ has agreed gracefully enough to the union’s demands regarding pay and holidays for the peace celebrations. Tho union wanted the Wellington terms, which were that the full service was to be run on the three days, the men to be paid time and a half, and to have three days’ holiday added to their annual holiday. It was unfortunate that the demand was accompanied with a threat, but apparently the threat was not sent forward to the board. The union secretary’s letter requesting reconsideration was not cordial, but neither was it offensive. As the Hon J. Barr said, it was “one of the mildest requests that had oome before the hoard from that source.” He contended that the Wellington conditions would he better for the board. The board, it seems, had decided on its original offer before it hoard of tho Wellington terms, hut it did not reach the union before the Wellington terms were known to the union- This delay seemingly was responsible for the acerbity of the union, and for the rather truculent tone of the stop-work threat. However, all’s well that ends well, and as both sides are satisfied the peace rejoicings should not be marred by the absence of tho street cars.

The death knoll of the Austrian Empire was sounded when the Emperor Karl abdicated, and by that act ended the reign of the House of Hapshurg. Tho terms of the peace treaty only confirm, and make irrevocable, what had already been accomplished. The Empire has been divided into independent States, and Austria itself is left as a State with a population of 6,000,000, inhabiting a territory of about 50,000 or 60,000 square milesThe complete independence of Hungary, and tho new States of CzechoSlavia and the Serb-Croat-Sloveno State, are to he recognised by the formerly dominant Austria. Modern history can give no parallel to this smashing reduction of a once proud Empire. Due can feel small regret, because the Empire was based on an unnatural union of different rates, and the union was maintained by force of arms rather than community of interest. The Austrian peace had its own problems, and there are still some points to he decided. The financial penalty has still to be assessed, and that can only be done after the Allies ascertain the capacity of Austria to pay, and how they can properly apportion the debt between the States which entered and supported the war Tho position is further.complicated by the insistent claims of Italy, whose rights are. entitled to the most sympathetic consideration.