IN AUCKLAND.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14829, 21 November 1913, Page 10

IN AUCKLAND.

THE POSITION" YESTERDAY.

SOME PLAIN FIGURES. (PBESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAU.) , AUCKLAND, November 20. A meeting of the Amalgamated Carpenters' and Joiners' Union, attended by two hundred members, received a message from the Dominion Executive, declaring the strike illegal, and ordering the Auckland members to return to work at once, the penalty for rofusal being forfeiture of financial benefits. About half of those present were very hostile to the suggestion, and the meeting ended in disorder. Many, however, expressed their intention of returning to work immediately.

Over 500 men resumed -work in Auckland to-day, tho number including 150 boilermakers and chip workers, 100 furniture trade workers, carpenters, plasterers, labourers, and. carters. Tho boilermakers officially declared tho strike "off" a few days ago, but there was some little delay in restarting them. The furniture trade workers, who started.to-day, were following the example of their fellows who resumed the previous day, and it is expected that by the beginning of next -week all workers in this trade will have recommenced. The most important development today was the re-starting of a number of city building contracts. The master builders are more than pleased with tho response made by the carpenters, plasterers, labourers, and painters. Two Queen street contracts were restarted as the result of the decision of the executive of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters ancTubiners. All carpenters, with the exception -of about 100, are ready to return to work. The plasterers are equally ready, and as far as the building trades are concerned, tho strike is now confined to tne bricklayers, labourers, and painters. A numfceFof painters and labourers are coming back to work, and most contractors can do without bricklayers for some time, so with tho resumption of the timber mills there should "I>e a considerable activity in the building trade. Some men have come up from the south to take employment on Auckland contracts. The number of men at work to-day m the various trades and occupations which were affected by tho strike was 3580, against 3095 the previous day, 2GBO on Tuesday, and 2165 on Monday. Details of to-day's total are:,—"ttatereiue workers GlO. hotel and restaurant workers 450. Exhibition workers 400, carpenters 400, Harbour Board's men 300, fnrniture tvatl" men 300. carters 250 City Council employees 200, boilermakers "and ship workers 150, painters 150 plasterers 100; aerated water workers 80. joinery factory operatives 80 Mount Eden Borough Council employees 50, coach" workers 40 sail..tent, and cover makers SO: total, 3580. The timber mills and factories owned by members of the Auckland Sawmillors' Vssociation will re-open to-morrow morning at 7.30. These milk give employment to 1000 men. and it is expected there will be a ready response to the invitation to resume work. At a meeting of the Timber Workers Union to-day a resolution was carried, to adhere to"the attitude hitherto main-

tainod. but as only 174 timber wotkew were present, tho decision o f theS minority does not affect tho nositW much. There will be ample ZSpgtection for workers who wish to sUrt to-morrow morning. - . Local bodies are finding labour off**, ing more freely, about 50 of tha Mount Eden Borongli Council's laoom! ors have returned to work, leaving the same number still on strike. S=x em ployees of the Epsom Road Board Wβ went on strike expressed their willinsrness to-day to return, but the ChauL man of tho Board informed them .that it had beon decided they could not ba taken on till tho strike was settled. ■ Owing to dissatisfaction with tho old union, iV good deal of interest attaches to the attitude of tho tramwaymen J hoy met to-day, and had a private discussion, but no motion was put be-, foro the meeting.