SYDNEY WATERSIDERS ACTION.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14840, 4 December 1913, Page 7

SYDNEY WATERSIDERS ACTION.

AND ITS EFFECT ON NEW ZEALAND. LOCAL OPINIONPHILOSOPHIO. Tho general opinion, gathered by a representative ot "-lie Pre*s" who sow several leading men in tlio city yesterday, regarding tho decision of the Syd» ney waterside workers not to handle in ward or outward New Zealand cargo is that it really does not matter vtt} much?" "Let them do their darn dee.," one man phrased it, "they can't affect New Zealand very much, so long as communication between one part of tbe Dominion and tbe other and between . ' the Dominion and Europe and Americais possible.". "-.-.- Said another citizen .—"Just imagin# that Australia was submerged by an earthquake. So ono in Hew Zealand " < would know the difference, and ths only , indication that the island continent no - " longer existed would be the black band* on the sleeves pi New Zealanders who** Australian relatives were no more." , Generally, then, the action of _tbe* Sydney watersiders is being taken very - - philosophically. A MERCHANT'S VIEWS. A prominent merchant interested in f t shipping was asked lor his opinion. '' .. ••i guess it is one of those ditboultic* that one can overcome," no remarked. "The stronger we - get _„ ia New Zealand in tho direction of _<-.ti..g matters back to a stats of law and order, and'tbo better the position m New ivoaiand ut understood by the -. workers an Austiaua, the quicker will be the termination of all tne obstrmV tion that is going on at present. They . . have just had two members of ths - United Federation of Labour in bydney ' -- giving their own \ eraion of tbe _po*i- * tion, and, naturally, tho Sydnsy workers have _jven a great deal of credence to their statements and have" given less consideration to tbo state- " '■ ments from the othpr side, which bore been cabled. I think that when theAustralian workers fully realise and * - understand the position in New Zealand, the decision of the Sydney iratersiders and those connected with them will be reversed, and work on tbe Sydney wharves will be resumed. '.The only direction that the Sydney watersiders' decision is likely to affect New Zealand seriously is in the matter of coal supplies. Very little producp t is being snipped from Nevr Zealand to 1 Australia, and that is not a serious J v part; of the problem. It wul Affect< -y transhipments from JTapan and China ;£* and from other countries in cases where the steamers do not come en to New Zealand. This would mean a consider- ■ able block. Transhipments from-Ame-* * rica and Europe are now very few because the bulk of tbe imports from America and Europe is orongat \in steamers trading to New Zealand. Th» same applies to India. A Union Company's boat has just left Calcutta with , a full cargo of woolsack* and sundries, so the farmers won't be stopped for want of supplies in connexion with the harvest. The question of coal supplies is being overcome by e-inz further afield than Australia, and I tbink that when the miners see that the work in the Dominion is being done by arbitration labour and realise that coal is being got.from outside, they will follow the example of the Sydney watersidsrs and get back to work as soon as possible."