Waterside Workers' Strike

Bruce Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 89, 8 December 1913, Page 5

Waterside Workers' Strike

It is understood the strike fund of the old Dunedin Waterside Workers' Union is now exhausted, and that no further strike payments are being made to the men in the meantime. It is also reported that the Dnnedin seamen received their final strike pay on Saturday, married men getting 15s and single men 10s, and that this will leave the local branch with about £l5O in hand to meet current expenses. There is no deliuite information as yet of what money, if any, is to oo devoted to the New Zealund seamen by their fellow workers in Australia. '

Regarding the Seamen's Union in Dunediu it i* anticipated Justice Williams will be invited to arbitrate. The seamen claim that they were virtually locked out owing to crews being paki otf on arrival, consequently they are disinclined to make first approach to Union Company. The general opinion is that if the seamen return 10 work the waterside workers' strike must be speedily ended, and it is common knowledge that the majority of the seamen are anxious to .return to work. At Wellington 1, (iOO are now working in new lumpers' union, and 1,900 in Auckland.

The right of the Union to vote assistance to the strikers' lunds will .form the oasis of a test case in the Supreme Cdurt next week. All the unions under the Arbitration Act are affected.

In the case against W. T. Young, President of United Feds he got three months imprisonment on charge of inciting to riot, but leave to. appeal was granted. Sempie and Jiarker were bound over to keep the peace. Young and Holland were committed for trial on sedition charges, and a fresh charge was. laid against Sempie for sedition.

The hold-up of vessels connected with New Zealand still continues in Sydney, and is spreading to other Australian ports. The Federation President is endeavoring to keep seamen in check, but they ignore his commands.

d The Dominion Executive of Farmers' Union has called to the Farmers' and Settlers' Association, Sydney, upholding the Employers' Committee in its uction, and endorsing its cables re Federation and strike.

A Japanese steamer has arrived in Auckland with 5000 tons of coal.

At a large meeting of citizens at Greymouth it was xesolved to invite the steamship companies to Bend vessels to Greymouth, the citizens guaranteeing to find the necessary labor.

It is stated that the sawmill hands have volunteered as specialsjto handle the cargo of a, 500 tons of coal in the bins of the various mines and bunker the ships. On Friday night a man named Charles Reeves (Socialist), who had booked as a steerage passenger on Maheno was hustled off steamer by some of the special crew, and conducted away from the water front by a hostile escort. It is alleged that he had made himself conspicuous during the riots by suggesting that strikers should go into the country and molest the wives and daughters of,specials. It is said Reeveß is taking legal action.