THE TIMARU STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1614, 4 December 1912, Page 8

THE TIMARU STRIKE.

• NOT "AUTHORISED." BY FEDERATION OF LABOUR. (By TelegSipli.— Press Association.) Timaru, December 3. There has been a good deal of discussion regarding the waterside strike to-day, but there is no change in : the situation. Unionists declare that the two men who • are the subjects of the dispute were supported by the -union in getting a rise in February, and they can sco no objection to their being members- of the Waterside Union as ■ well as members of 'the Railway Society. These two ' men are not permanent hands, but. casuals. If they ' had been permanents the union would not have objected to theiti. 'Mr, Stringlcman, District Traffic Manager, came down from Christchurch to-day. In ieply to a suggestion that the two men should be made "permanents," he sajd that this was impossible, as'they were over age. "Hie Department did not intend to interfere in the matter at present. The waterside : agreement (that preference be given to unionists) had nothing to do with ■ the Department, and was only binding on shinping people.. 11l consequence ot the stride, the Union Steam Ship Company has cancelled all advertisements of boats calling here. .

. SHIPPING ARRANGEMENTS. Christchurch, December 3. The steamers Corinna and Kittawa, which Were compelled to leave Timaru with their cargo undischarged owing to the- waterside workers there striking, .oame on to Lyttelton.- Tho Kittawa had discharged part of her cargo before the strike at Timaru began. The secretary of tho Timaru Wnturside Workers' Union sent a'telogram to the Lyttelton waterside workers not to discharge the cargo which tho Kittawa had over-carried, viz., 130,000 feet: of timber from Gr'eymouth. About 8 o'clock this morning.-an formal- meeting of disengaged watqrsido .Workers was held, and after some discussion it was decided to work tho Kittawa. In the meantime the Corinna, A n d the other steamers had started .work as usual, but, viitli-regard to.tbe Kittawa, arrangements had first to bo made with the consignees. The disposing of the Timaru portion of her cargo was arranged during the morning, and after labour had been- engaged the Kittawa started discharging at 1 p.m. The Waitemata, which was to have put into Timaru to-morrow to unload coal, has been ordered on' to Lyttelton,

THE FEDERATION. Auckland, December 3. " At. a meeting of tho executive of the Federation of Labour, held in . Auckland .to-day, and : presided over by Mr, P. C. Webb, the strike of the Timaru waterside workers came up for discussion. The fact' that the Timaru, men had taken upon themselves the responsibility of striking" without first consulting tho federation executive, was dwelt upon at some length. Eventually the executive decided to notify tie Timaru strikers that they must return to work till the federation executive had had'an opportunity of thoroughly investigating the dispute.