HOPES OF PEACE IN THE TRAFFIC STRIKE.

PREMIER’S EFFORTS FOR A SETTLEMENT.

The Prime Minister, speaking in the House of Commons before the adjournment last night, announced that the negotiations for a settlement of the London traffic strike had been resumed.

Mr. Macdonald stated that as a measure of precaution the Government were going to issue a proclamation declaring a state of emergency.

This announcement followed a day of strenuous effort by the Government to effect a settlement in time to prevent an extension of the strike to the Underground Railways, and, probably, also to the suburban electric lines.

The day’s efforts for peace began with a long meeting of the Cabinet, and culminated in meetings at the House of Commons in the evening between the Premier and the executives of the various unions concerned, followed by a joint conference between the employers and the men.

GOVERNMENT MOVE.

A great effort to settle the traffic strike was made last night.

The rendezvous for this purpose of all the parties concerned was the House of Commons. It was a Government move, undertaken after fresh discussion of the situation by the Cabinet, and planned in the hope that, with the threat of a grave extension of the trouble hanging over London, the two sides might find a basis for a settlement. The proceedings at Westminster began at six o’clock, when representatives of the Transport Workers’ Union, the Associated Society of Locomotive Enginemen, and the National Union of Railwaymen assembled in one of the committee rooms at the invitation of the Prime Minister. Mr. Macdonald addressed the men’s leaders, and emphasised the serious state of affairs that would result if a stoppage were brought about on the Underground railways. It is gathered that the Government thought a basis for agreement might be reached if the employers were willing to concede and the men’s representatives to accept a revision of the terms offered at Montagu House on Tuesday, so as to include inside workers. That is to say, the immediate increase of 5s per week and the offer to submit the question of the other 3s to arbitration, should include non-uniformed men as well as uniformed men.

The Prime Minister remained in the room for about three-quarters of an hour. When he left there was not much evidence that the men’s representatives were in a mood to modify their demand. The N.U.R. representatives afterwards had a separate meeting in another room to discuss the situation. At seven o’clock the Prime Minister met Lord Ashfield and other representatives of the traffic undertakings in his own room. This interview was not of a prolonged character, and when it was over the employers proceeded to a committee-room for consultation among themselves. Some time later it was announced that a meeting between the two sides would take place at nine o’clock.

HOPEFUL FEATURE.

When the joint meeting was held the Prime Minister paid a visit to the room, but stayed for only about five minutes – just long enough, in fact, to say a few words to the gathering, expressing the hope that the peace effort would succeed.

After Mr. Macdonald had left, the representatives of the employers and the unions settled down to a prolonged discussion of the situation, but it cannot be said that any appreciable progress towards a settlement was achieved. However, there was one satisfactory feature about the proceedings, and it was that the negotiations are to be continued to-day at Montagu House. But in Ministerial circles the feeling clearly was that preparations must be pushed forward for meeting a general transport stoppage in London.