DRIVERS RE-START WORK.
MOUNTED -'SPECIALS" PATROL STREETS.
NEW UNIONISTS INCREASING. '
Further indications of the breakingup of the drivers' strike were apparent yesterday. During Monday and Tuesday, owing to the drivers being "out," the streets wore a deserted appearance. With the exception of carriers' carts there were few other vehicles to be seen transporting goods, and the customary bustle and noise of traffic was absent. Yesterday a decided change came over the scene, and shortly after nine o'clock traffic assumed something like normal conditions. Carts of all kinds were to be seen in active commission, and transport work was in full swing. Tickete of the old Drivers' Union visited several stables and garages with the intention of bringing men who had gone back to their jobs out again, but no instances of their success have been reported. Small bodies of mounted "specials" patrolled " the principal streets, but no cases'of actual interference by strikers or strike sympathisers were recorded, and but for the gatherings of the public to gaze on the "specials" everything went on smoothly. The transport work in Christchurch. re-started with a larger number of drivers than was tho case when work restarted in Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin. Indeed, it is believed that the number who started in Christchurch was larger than tho aggregate of those who started in tho three cities mentioned. ' Another indication of the weakening of the striko was given later in the day, when tho Striko Committee announced that certain drivers had been exempted from continuing on strike. In tho case of the taxi-cab drivers and of the bakors , drivers, this step was practically forced upon the old Drivers' Union owing to both classes of drivers having . expressed their intention to form separate' unions. IN CARLYLE STREET. There was an air .of expectancy at the railway yards, Carlyle street, early yesterday morning, and it was rumoured that trouble was brewing with '.'• the strikers. In anticipation of nnmbers of carters resuming work, hundreds of strikers congregated about the yards and goods sheds, it was alleged with a view to intimidating the drivers who had resumed work into changing their minds. A small body of mounted "specials" was moved to the scene, early, and on arrival found the place literally swarining with strikers. " Later dozens of carriers carts, express waggons, and lorries drew up at the sheds, .and although, it looked at one stage as if serious trouble would occur, the mounted men gradually cleared the street, doing ' their work good-humouredly. The strikers* slowly retreated without making any disturbance, and the working carriers wore soon busy. Mounted pickets were placed at both ends of Carlyle etreet, and at other places in the main streets, to prevent any intimidation being practisedl There was a large body of mounted "specials" held in reserve in Moqrhouse avenue, ' hear Colombo street, but their services were not called into requisition. : ''.'. It was No. 1 troop of Ashburton "specials/ , about 20 strong, which cleared the vicinity of the railway goods-sheds, and but for their advent it is stated that those drivers, who had i resumed , - work' '.would . have . been, subjected to a rough: handling: As far as could be. ascertained ', . nearly all the big carrying companies were represented;'and the work of loading went on without interruption. v The appearance of the "specials" caused a curious crowd, including hundreds of. cyclists to gather in - anticipation of trouble. . . In the,afternoon matters were quiet. I People 'who formed themselves' into knots on the footpath or street were promptly moved on by the mounted "specials," and no disturbances -were reported. "/"■'.;' AT SMITH'S GARAGE.' Pickets Tvere on duty between 8 a.m. and 9.a.m."at Smith's garage in Worcester street. About ten strikers were Vonduty; J '''.and entered the garage .;.with the intention of influencing some men employed by the D.I.C. from taking out : that firm's motor delivery vans* These men were not drivers and, of course, declined to be coerced. The ■picket wan ordered out of the garage, and left it. A crowd but a ,coudlo of uniformed police soon dis-persed-the, gathering. The D.I.C. vans •ultimately got out, and were sqon engaged in their delivery work. :-\ "DANGEROUS GOODS." Shortly after 3 o'clock yesterday after-, •noon'people' in Cathedral square were somewhat astonished to see:two lorries being escorted by a small detachment of mounted. "specials." The explanation was that one of the lorries was loaded .with barrels of beer, and the other with cases of whisky. After seeing the vehicles safely into the,rear of the Royal Exchange Buildings, the "mounteds" rodo off.
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Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14834, 27 November 1913, Page 8
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750DRIVERS RE-START WORK. Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14834, 27 November 1913, Page 8
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