BARE BERTHS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1896, 3 November 1913, Page 9

BARE BERTHS.

MENTION OF NEW UNION. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Dunedtn, November 2. Tho berths at Dunedin were stripped baro of shipping yesterday morning, when the ICamo throw off her lines and steamed to Port Chalmers, thero to bo "laid up," and tho w'liarves themselves reflected this desolation. Not more than 40 or 60 of tlio Workera were on tlio watorfront, and these wore scattered in groups discussing tho situation. No formally called meeting has been hold to considor tho question of forming a. now union, but 6uch a step is in tlio air, and may come into tho area of solid practice at any moment. 'Tho Ulimaroa' left Lyttelton on Friday night for the Bluff direct, but on her way down t'ho coast she' received wireloss instructions to call at Port Chalmers, and pick up at least part of tho crew of the Victoria. Tho latter vessel is on the Dunedin to Auckland via East_ Coast ports running, and is to_ he laid up at Port Chalmers this trip on account of tho strike. Her crew came with tho vessel from tho other side, and the Ulimaroa is to tako them home—au indication that, from tho shipowners' point of viow, tho strike is not likely to terminate soon. The Ulimaroa's Fruit. On board tho Ulimaroa aro 39 oases of fruit for Dunedin. As fruit had not been handled at' Lyttelton it was not likely to bo handled at Port Chalmers, so two men from tho consignees .were sent down to the vessel to land the fruit thomselves. A railway truck was shunted down alongside tho vessel, and tho fruitmen wont on board to get tho fruit and deposit it in tho waiting truck. Each man with' cases of fruit on his shoulder walked to the gangway. When tho first man down the gangway placed ■the case of fmit on the wharf preparatory to putting it into the truck a striker quietly picked it up, and, going up tho gangway, placed it on the vessel s deck. Tho striker, in passing, ,said something to the second who was coming down tho gangway with a caso of fruit on his shoulder. He stopped, turned back, and placed his caso of fruit alongsido tho caso that had been replaced on t'ho vessel's deck by the striker.' Tho - striker withdrew at onco as no person was allowed on board. The two men in charge of the cases of fruit conferred for a moment, and then tlioy picked tho cases up and carried them back again to the after part of the vessel, where tho rest of tlio consignment was stored. It was 6aid that thore wore 400 cases.