THE MARITIME STRUGGLE.

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

THE MARITIME STRUGGLE.

SHIPPING RACEHORSES. SYMPTOMS. OF A SPLIT IN THE RANIS ; ONE SWOOP ON STEAMER. ' . I ■ /' PREMIER PRESIDES AT CONFERENCE.

The 1 synopsis of the history of the Wellington Waterside Workers' Strike,'and the events leading up to it from the genesis of the' trouble 'till the present timo, are as follow: — Friday, . October 17.—Shipwrights asked for increase, in wages. Saturday, October 18.—Shipwrights ceased work. . - Monday, October 20.—First mass meeting Waterside Workers' Union, at which it was decided to call a "stop-work" meeting, to -be held at 8 a.m. oh Wednesday, October'Z2. ...Wednesday, October 22.—"Stop-work" meeting of Waterside Workers' Union held on wharf. While men were attending meeting, ■which, being held in working hours, was a breach of agreement, other union men were put on to work in their places. Union desired that men be reinstated in their positions, . Employers deciHed that men's action in knocking off work In breach of agreement terminated the agreement with the union, which had been entered into in 1912. Waterside Workers' Union hand control of strike over to the . Federation 'of Labour. Waterside Workers' Union strikes. : , Thursday, October 3.—Big mass meeting of strikers. Wharves •picketed. Union S.S. Company pays crews off colliers. Free labourers ■ commence work. Negotiations betweon strike delegates and employers < fail. Report of intention of Waterside Workers' Union to register a second union under the Arbitration Act. Speeches in the Post Office Square • ~ Ffiday, October 24.—Scenes of violence on the wharves. " Conference . of Federation of Labour delegates proves abortive. Employers decide 'to cease work as,far as handling cargo is concerned. Fifty police guard the wharves. Warehouse clerks work cargo in small steamers. Saturday, October 25.—Further scenes of violence on wharves. Steamers Defender and Nikau rushed—crews intimidated. Police from country arrive. Employers issue a statoment to the effect that no watersiders will be employed unti) a fresh, organisation be formed and registered under Arbitration; Act. Watersiders decide to continue strike. Harbour, Board pickcts the wharves. Sunday, October 26—.Mass meeting at 2.15 p.m. in Post Office .Square, Procession to Basin Reserve, Gate broken down by crowd.. • Inflammatory speeches by strike leaders, Monday, October 27.—Labour Day and a holiday. Observed by strikers'as-well as the public. No change in the situation. Tuesday, October 28.—Conference between employers and employees, with' Hon. W. F. Massey, Prime Minister, as chairman. More police arrive. S.S. Nikau rushed. All steamers move to an anchorage in the stream, Racehorses allowed to leave for south,

The strike continues, but there are some who hold! that a settlement may, be arrived'at'to-day. Both sides held ■ , ..meetings yesterday, and last evening the Prime Minister (the Hon. W. P. • Massey) presided at a conference of re- '• ; . presentatives of employers ai\d strikers. Certain proposals were submitted by \ the employers, and tho conference was adjourned . till noon to-day. A'mass meeting of the men will be held at 8.30 o'clock this morning, when the employers' proposals will be submitted to the. union. ' [ All 1 steamers which were at the wharves yesterday morning (with the . lexception of the Westralia, Maori, ferry boats, and H.M.S. Psyche) wero sent to an anchorage in the stream. On the " wholo the crowd 1 was very orderly, and only one vessel —the Nikau—rccoived a ' visitation from tho strikers. At ono stago during the day there Were indications of trouble regarding a shipment of : seventeen racehorses which have engagement's at tho Cup meeting in Cliristchurch. A meeting of tho union : was held, and eventually the horses .wero allowed to go south by tho Maori'. ' [ The general mass of the strikers spent v . most, of tho day in Post Office Square, / . where several speakers addressed the usual crowds from carts, expresses, and boxes. During the day some 26 men arrived from Waihi and surrounding districts. It is understood that they . : have come down to endeavour to further ; : the strikers' cause. Pickets were very 1 active all day, and several expresses ladon with ships' stores wero hold lip and turned back at the Queen's Wharf. 'V 'Among tho police reinforcements during tho day wero ten stalwart constables from Dunedin.