STRIKE EMISSARIES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1895, 1 November 1913, Page 7

STRIKE EMISSARIES.

THE MISSION THAT FAILED. (By Telerrftph-Trcfin AreoJatlou.) Wangartulj October 31. Three agitators who attempted _ to draw the Wangantii watersidors into the strike at an early hour this-morn-ing met with a very discouraging reception. The steamer Poto.no arrived hero from southern ports last night, and a night-shift went on to unload her. At one o'clock in the morning tho omissaries of disordor, arrived on the scene, and urged tho. men. to cease work, ) Finding that they were only laughed at they commenced, to harangue the watersidors, but tho orations fell on deaf ears and, finally, they were hunted off the wharf, one of them being hustled pretty roughly. It was rumoured in town to-day that one of tho agitators was a member of the local Waterside Union, who is also seoretary of tho New Zealand Water.sido Federation—an arbitration bodyit being assumed that ho was acting in the latter-capacity under instructions from his executive. Seen to-day, howover, he gave an emphatio denial, stating that he was not on the wharf last night, and knew nothing of tho affair till to-day. Ho went on to say that, as secretary of tho Now Zealand Waterside Federation, ho had no instructions to. knock off work, though, ho understood that the Federation of Labour were in communication with hia own federation. Tho latter, however, was registered under the_ Arbitration Act, and had. no inclination to como out.

Transhlpplnß at Wanganul. : The Petone brought a considerable amount of cargo for transhipment to Wellington. This .was worked, but at the same time, there is a feeling that, if such cargo is sent through AVanganui to any largo extent, it _ may causo troublo even among the arbitratiomsts. The Wanganui men,: as a whole, are willing to work all union-loaded cargo, but aro of opinion that the working of cargo loaded elsewhere by free labotff may have tho effect of forcing them into a strike against their own wishes. It was rumoured in town this afternoon that the watersiders had decided to strike shortly after midday, out inquiries showed that tho report was without foundation.