IN CHRISTCHURCH.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14840, 4 December 1913, Page 8

IN CHRISTCHURCH.

A QUIET DAY. From all outward appearances the city looked quite normal yesterday, and it was difncult to imagine that there was a strike on. Despite the wet weather drivers wero busy, and the work of the city was going on just as if the striko was in Timbuctoo instead of Christchurch. The enrolment of members of the new Drivers' Union is proceeding, and apparently there is no lack of men willing and able to do the work of those who still remain on strike. THAT MYSTERIOUS "COMMITTEE." As to whether or not the Christchurch Strike Committee has removed, bag and baggage, to Lytteiton, enquiries at-the Trades'- Hall yesterday were unproductive of anything of a definite character. Two secretaries, one of whom is undei stood to be tho chairman and the other the secretary of the committee, were in attendance, and wero doing work which appeared to bo connected with the strike. The only indication that some alteration has taken place was the absence of a large number of strangers —probably strikers from Lytteiton— who, .for tho past week or so, have been congregating at the entrance to the Hall and just inside. , STRIKE FUND. It is stated that the Strike Committeo has in hand sufficient funds at' present to finance it till after Christmas. Recent contributions received are as follow:—A Glentunnel farmer, eight to ten sacks of potatoes; Amalgamated Engineers, collection at meeting held on Tuesday night, £38 18s; collection at eight meetings held by Mr Thorn in the country districts, £38; Typographical Union, £19 6s; Slaughtermen's Union, £10; an auctioneering firm, £5; a farmer, Ladbrooks, £1 per week; an employer of carters, £1; collection in Victoria. Square last Saturday night, £10 3s lid; Bootmakers' Union, £50; Freezers' Union, £20. STRIKERS'. CAMP. A camp of-strikers has been established in a paddock on May's road, and about twenty single men have taken up their quarters in.it. There is a large marquee, 50 x 20, and in this the strikers are living. They include watersiders, seamen, firemen, and others thrown out of work owing to the strike., Others are expected to join daily. There is a good flow of artesian water on the site. BUTCHERS A.ND LABOURERS. Meetings of the Butchers' Union and of the General Labourers' Union are to be held to-take' into consideration the recommendation that their members should not handle anything handled by now.union labour. ,?.:., ', 7 ..;, -: "SPECIALS."" = Although the dismounted special constables who - have been in. camp at Addington have. been •_ temporarily' relieved ? from duty, there - are _ still a considerable number of dismounted' "specials" in the city. The total strength is understood to be in the vicinity of 250, and arrangements have been made whereby the greater proportion' of these can-be. assembled in a few, minutes should the necessity arise. ,■/?.' [;.;.,' • ~: ; ?SUGAR. ■'--;' -■_ Although supplies of sugar have been coming to hand during the. past two or three*, days, the quantity received has not been anything sufficient to meet demands from almost every part of Canterbury. After the shortage of the past two, or three weeks, the demands are large. Some grocers in the : city raised the limit of the quantity they sold to 41b. but in some cases they have had to go back to their previous limit of 21b. to .each customer. BOOTMAKERS AT WORK. Work Jn the boot factories in town Has . been resumed, but full time is not being in all cases. As is customary, the factories will closedown shortly tdl after the New Year. It is not expected that trade in the boot industry will be very brisk till about March. ...■_-. / ,'•-.' At a meeting of the Addington bPraneh of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants it was decided "That this meeting regrets that, the proposal that Sir Joshua Williams should arbitrate on the present industrial dispute, was not accepted."