Railway strike

If it is any satisfaction to the members of the Locomotive Engineers, Firemen, and Cleaners’ Association to know that, by their determination to begin a strike at midnight last night, they have taken the community completely unawares and at a disadvantage, that satisfaction is assuredly theirs. Not only have they taken the general public by surprise, but, as far as can be gathered, the members of other railway societies were wholly in the dark concerning the intentions of the locomotive section of the service. The decision in favour of a strike was, it will be seen, adopted at meetings of branches of the Locomotive Engineers, Firemen, ad Cleaners’ Association on Sunday last. According to an official statement which has been issued by the Association, ‘‘there has been no predetermined action in striking at this particular juncture.’’ Apparently, however, it was concluded that a time

when the political and permanent heads of the Railways Department are absent in the northern portion of the dominion and when the visit of the Prince of Wales has led large numbers of people to make preparations for travelling by train to the centres of population affords a favourable opportunity for a strike. If so, the members have blundered most signally. Their action may have the effect of embarrassing the authorities temporarily. It will not be remarkable if it does. But it is not likely to involve any material alteration of the plans for the Prince’s tour through New Zealand.