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Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1892, 29 October 1913, Page 8

"DOWN TOOLS" AT AUCKLAND.

COAL LUMPERS STOP. POSITION FOll THE CONSUMER. (By Telcffr&ph—Frees Association.) Auckland, October 28. The industrial trouble affecting waterside workers extended to Auckland to-

day, and, at one o'clock, 300 men engaged on colliers at present in port ceased work. When the Huntly coal miners went 011 striko Inst week tlio position waß not regarded j as exceedingly serious, the coal merchants explaining that liuntly coal was mainly used for household purposes, and that llikurangi, Westport, and Newcastle coal could he depended upon for all the requirements of Auckland for steam purposes. With this object in view big supplies of coal had been brought into Auckland by steamer. To-day thoro is more coal afloat on Auckland Harbour than lias been tho caso for quite a long while. The coliliers in port, including tho Koromiko from Newcastle, Rakanoa from Westport, Komata from Westport,- and Canopus from Westport, havo between them some 11,000 tons. This was being unloaded by 300 members of tho Watersides Workers' Union at one o'clock today, when instructions were recoived to ceaso work. .

The Agitators' View Of It. • Tho position taken up by the Waterside AVorkers' Union was explained by Mr. H. Hilier, secretary of the union. Ho stated: "At 12.45 this afternoon I 'received word, from tho Transport Workers' Executive to call out the men working on tho colliers in Auckland Harbour. This was done at once, and tlio men left immediately. Out of 300 .men employed on the coal boats not one made a moment's demur. Tho real eauso of tho executive taking this course," continued Mr. Hilier, "probably is tho result of the Komata cornins here to bo unloaded after the men lefused to handle her cargo at Wellincton." Mr. R. Sempls, organiser of the tJnited Federation of Labour, said that the action had been taken in v order to mako common cause with the Huntly miners. It bad not yet been decided to interfere with any other lino of cargo. The Consumers' Position. It- was gathered to-day that the coal supply of tlio city had been seriously encroached upon during the past week, consequent upon the stoppage of the largo quantities usually available from Huntly. Although many of'the_largo firms have boon fortunato in getting in considerable stocks, thoy have had to bo extremely careful with what they had on hand. Small' consumers are likely to bo immediately affected by tlio holding up of the coal boats in tho harbour.Coal boats at Auckland, and also at Onehuhga, wero bringing in reinforcements to tho extent of between 50,000 and 60,000 tons. ' Orders are arriving for supplies of coal, but great care is being taken to distribute the supplies available in small lots, so as to_prevept completo disorganisation of business in somo quarters. This is apparently tho policy that will bo observed while the trouble lasts, and stocks bold out. "The Only Thing Now." "The only thing to do .now," said a big coal dealer to-day, "is to make a fight of it to the bitter end, no matter how long it lasts —three, or even six, months. Employers ought to stand together and give labour and these foreign agitators, who are paid to create theso troubles, a final lesson. That is the only way to get peace for a year or two. Wo must fight tlio strikers with their own weapons. Let tho employers turn round and dcclare a strike thus giving tho workers a taste of their own medicine. It will cure them for some time." Awaiting Wellington Conference, The strike was without incident till fivo o'clock, when a number of wharf hands finished for tile day, and a meeting of tho executive- was bold. Some of the waterside workors who remained at work joined the group outside the ynion's office, and others, passed by unconcernedly to their flomes. About 5.30 p.m. .Mr. Murdoch, chairman of tho Vigilance Committee setup in connection with the strike, and Mr. Semple, organiser of' the TJnited Federation of Labour, came to address tho crowd. ' , Mr. Murdoch deprecated tho discussions that had taken placo amongst tlio men over the calling out of a section only, and Mr. Scrapie, after advising the men to imitate the "common enemy of tho working class," and keep cool, said that it was not his intention to continue tho strike hero with tho colliers only. A conference would bo held at Wellington that evening between tlio transport workers and the shipowners, and, on tho result of that conference, the Auckland developments would depend. The men would bo infortned in plenty of tiroo in the morning whether there Was a settlement, and, if not, they could take it that t-hcrfc was no idea in the minds of the executive to -use the men employed in discharging coal boats differently from other sections. Thoy had only been asked to como out for a' few hours, because every toil of coal landed on the wharves went towards the defeat of the Huntly men. "Tho Auckland strike is in sympathy with both tho Wellington and Huntly strikes,*"* said Mr. Semplo when asked by a reoorter to explain its origin. Originally the Wellington and Huntly strikes wcra quite independent, but now they have become inseparably connected, and one could not be settled without tlio other;

| . MELBOURNE CUP. By Telefrupli—Press Association-WpyrifrhS Melbourne, (October 28. The following are the final acceptors for the

MELBOURNE CUP, of 8000 sovs., nr.--; trophy valued at 150 sovs.. Two miles—Cagou, including 101b. penalty, Sst. 131b.; Undo' Sain, Sst. 71b.; Harpist, Sst. 61b.; Aurifer, Sst. 61b.; Mountain Princess, Bst. lib.Audacity, Sst.; "Wassail, 7st. 121b. j Sanskrit, 7st. 91b. \ Antielosia, 7st. 81b.; Radnor, 7st. Sib.; Anna Carlovna, 7st. 81b.; Embracer, 7st. Sib.; Beragoon, 7st. 61b.; Sea Prince, 7st. 51b.; Limelight, inc. 101b. penalty, 7st/ 51b.; Crosska, mc. 7b. penalty, -7st. 41b.;' Ramcses, inc. 51b. penalty, 7st lib.; Posinatus, 7st.; Belovo, Gst. 131b.; Sir Vive, Gst. 131b.; Golden Shore, 6st. 101b.; Gold Gift, 6st. 101b.; King Pharaoh, fist 91b.; Gladwyn, 6st. 71b.; Effervescence, Gst. 71b,; TJlva's Isle, Gst. Mb.; Golden Goblet, Gst. 71b.