AT WELLINGTON.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14838, 2 December 1913, Page 7

AT WELLINGTON.

TWENTY VESSELS WORKING,

(feess association* __x_c___.) WELLINGTON. December 1. Work proceeded expeditiously and uninterruptedly on the wharves to-day, inward and outward cargo being handled at twenty vessels. The new Watersiders' Union has now

a membership of abont 1700, and 1200 men were working to-day. Besides oversea and coastal ships, tho Lyttelton ferry steamer W'abino was taking in cargo, mdicating that this trade is noaring normal conditions. The Amalgamated Society of Carpenters has voted £100 to tho Strikers' Distress Committee. It is stated to-day that the AttorneyGeneral (ho Hon. A. L. Herdman) contradicts a report from Christchurch that 300 special constables aro to ha sons from Christchurch to the Weefc. Coast, ami says that no authority hjW been given for tho despatch ft "specials.'''

(SrECIAL TO "TO- .RES..") WELLINGTON, December 1. Momhcr.. of tho United Labour Party say there is no connexion between th* - Australian and New Zealand Laboer Federations. Tho Australian organisation is the result of tho Trades' Council movement, and is tho reason for tho increasing tendency towards Com-' mon wealth awards in tho Federal Arbitration Court, It has about 70,000 members, and its leaders mainly favour the compulsory arbitration principle. It is understood that the Merchant Service Guild has decided to request tho resignation of its secretary, CaptainWatson, consequent on his action in making an unauthorised ambiguous an-: nounccment early in the strike regard- . ing tho attitude of the officers. Bailey and Fraser, two of tho strike leaders, aro still in gaol, not having found securities. Mr Dow-gray, act tog-President of thoFederation of Labour, says that the shearers will striko before the end of the week. Similar confident prodie-',' tions in recent weeks wero falsified, and tho employers are undismayed.. Single men aro faring much more comfortably than married strikers." Tho " single men aro not worried abont food. ■'-' They present tickets for threo meals a day. The married strikers receive orders for groceries, and ar© obliged : to mako their own arrangements for . moat and other necessaries. '"••■ Tho striko leaders m prison, on re-- " mand, load a comparatively, luxurious ■ existence. Hampers are sent up to " tho gaol for them for every meal, and they havo always a hot dinner.

The ticket system of meals for tho Arbitration unionists working on tho wharves began to-day. Thero wero no complaints. Fifty-threo moro men joined tho now union to-day, including several strikers. _