THE LATE STRIKE.

Waikato Times, Volume 97, Issue 15999, 30 May 1924, Page 6

THE LATE STRIKE.

The revelations concerning the late railway strike promise to be interesting. Direct statements have been made that the promoters have admitted that they were animated by political rather than industrial ends when they issued the fiat to strike, and though these statements were promptly challenged they have been reiterated, accompanied by a declaration that sworn testimony as to their truth can be produced It is further averred that there are considerable misgivings in certain quarters-as to the taking of the strike ballot, and that assurances would be welcomed as to how the result was arrived at. In the meantime it is very evident that there is a considerable volume of dissatisfaction with the manner in which the whole business was conducted. ' The men realise that they were badly advised, and that their last state is worse than their first. Commenting on this, a Southern contemporary says:—" The strike of the A-SJA.S, has given the Rail-way Department the opportunity of putting into operation at once conditions that, no doubt, were bound to be imposed sooner or later, but which otherwise would have come by some process of adjustment—preferably by conciliation, and after discussion. The real danger that the railwaymen had to face, and the thing they sought most strenuously to avoid, is that they have now experienced, a course of events which has been brought about by entrusting the direction of their affairs to men with the temperament and disposition of demagogues. ]n the history of industrial negotiations in New Zealand there is no more flagrant instance of a case being put out of court and every point in dispute sacrificed by the errors of Judgment of those who were elected by the workers to serve their interests. The experience, let us hope, will prove to be a salutary one. The membership of the A.S.R-S. contains, we are sure, men of sound commonsense and proved administrative ability, and the society will be wise if it secures their services when next it has the opportunity of electing an executive council. In other circumstances we should not tender advice to any organisation on a domestic matter of this sort, but the last election of the A.S.R.S. officers was the prelude, as the event proved, to a strike which crippled transport for a week and which caused inconvenience from one end of the country to the other —a strike commenced in pique and ended in panic; which injured everybody and benefited nobody."