AT DUNEDIN.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14831, 24 November 1913, Page 8

AT DUNEDIN.

STATEMENT BY SIR JAMES MILLS. (special to "the fbkss.") DUNEDIN, November 22. [ Sir James Mills told an interviewer to- \ day that the ferry traffic at present was not sufficient to warrant the keeping on of n vessel of the size of tho Maori as against the Pateena. Tho new union of workers were doing excellent work at "Wellington and Auckland, more especially as they were not hampered by the "union stroke." Many of the company's seamen and firemon still remained loyal to their employers, while new men were joining in that capacity every day. If tho members of the present Seamen's and Firemen's Union continued to maintain their present attitude he understood that a new union would be formed under the Arbitration Act. Ho characterised the statement that the shipping companies had been anxious to come to an agreement with the waterside workers and that business men would not let them as .incorrect. The employers would not come to any agreement that would place them again at tho mercy of the Federation of Labour. ■ „ ' . The work of loading the Connna was carried on briskly to-day, and the vessel sailed in the evening forTimaru and "Wellington. She secured a new crew. . . The carters went to their work in numbers to-day, and with full confidence in the assurance that the police could protect them if any trouble arose. So many carters were available that at odd times during the morning thero wero as many as a dozen lorries and waggons waiting their turn to discharge. ■ . • The Railway Department has enough coal in stock to last till February. The pits at Green Island, Waranui, and Taratu are working uninterruptedly, but before long it is likely that the slackenng of orders from the Dunedm factories will necessitate a limitation of tho output. _••. . At a meeting of the SeamenVLnion held ,to-day it was decided to sent a representative to Lyttelton tp watch the interests of the seamen thoio.. Quit© a number of firms are reducing their staffs owing to slackness of trade, and Messrs Powley and .Keast are forced to close down a portion of their establishment for the present.