CHRISTCHURCH DRIVERS ON STRIKE.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14832, 25 November 1913, Page 7

CHRISTCHURCH DRIVERS ON STRIKE.

cvMASS MEETING OF THE MEN.

NO EXEMPTIONS GRANTED. The Drivers' Union held a big meeting in the Socialists' Hall yesterday morning, in which a great deal of interest was taken, judging by the crowd that assembled outside and waited for several dreary hours for news. The crowd, or as much of it as could get into the Socialists' Hall went in at 9 a.m., and came out at twenty-five minutes to two, so that it took about 4_ hours of heated argument—judging by the noise—to arrive at the momentous decision.

The progress of the deliberations was punctuated by frequent cheers and loud shouts of "Are we downhearted?" and "Shall we scab?" which questioas wero responded to with still louder shouts of "No!"

The newspaper man who saw Mr Hiram Hunter directly after the close of the meeting asked what decision had been arrived at. "Well, the strike is on," said Mr Hunter. 'Does everybody come in?" was the question. "Yes, everyone,"' said Mr Hunter, "including the Council men and the bakers." "Have any exemptions been granted?" "No, none," replied the secretary of the Drivers' Union.

"What about funerals?" enquired the Pressmap. "Ob, well, we would make arrangements for those," said Mr Hunter. "And what about the ambulance?."

asked the reporter; but Mr Hunter had had enough questioning, and intimated that the main fact was that tbe decision to strike had been carried, and that it would affect all members of the union.

To say that the meeting had been an entirely unanimous one would be far from the troth,, judging by the remarks of many who came out of the hall at its conclusion. There was an undertone of triumph in having "beaten them," that coujd only have referred to the opposition, which must have been fairly strong to keep things going for over four solid hours pf oratory. The decision of the meeting means that, if the Federation can manage it, L there will bo no transport ip the city | with the exception of the drivers of j coal and meat carts, and the work done"* by owners of private carriers' carts and taxi-cabs, till the strike is declared off. Men engaged in sanitary work have been given a free handA Picket Committee was set up to i peacefully "picket" the city, with instructions to discountenance violence in any shape or form. The Drivers Union resolved to request the Strike Committee to appoint a deputation to wait on the Mayor to ask him to use his best endeavours to get the hotels closed during the continuence of the strike. The committees set up in connexion with picketing the city meet at 8 a.m. to-day, and the general body meets at 9 a,m.