HOW THE PUBLIC ARE PENALISED.

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

HOW THE PUBLIC ARE PENALISED.

IN CHHISTCHURCH. SHRINKAGE IN BUSINESS. (By Telcpraph.--Prcas Association.) Chrlstchurcll, November 2. Tho fact that thoro is little agricultural produce beyond butter and cheeso availablo for export at present from North Canterbury is causing les3 attention to bo paid to the strike by tho farming community of these parts than by city dwellers. The strike is being freely discussed by farmore, nevertheless, and thoy are in tho mood to tako action when it is deemed noccssary to assist in opening tho port, l'oninsula dairy-farmers are very sore at ship- ' incuts of cheeso from their factories being prevented from landing at Lyttoltoii, and should action bis taken to open tho port, strong support will bo available from this quarter. Tho freezing works are empty, and space will not bo required to any oxtent for tho next two months, as there will only bo a week's killing from November 17, and tho works will not roopon till tho middlo of December. At a pinch, arrangements could bo made to store aairy produce in those works. At any rate, Killing is not- likely to bo gone on with so long as tho striko lasts. Qnco it is decided to make a'l effort to open tho port thero will bo no dearth of labour o'fering from tho country. 1 'Tho city coal supplies will probably keep going for a fortnight or so, and tho stock will last -till about that time (said ono merchant). Wo aro not raising the prica to our customers." Cliatioo of Catling out Drivers. Tho possibility of tho drivers being called out is being generally discussed, and also tho disorganisation which is likoly to result if tho men go out. Messrs. J. M. Hey wood and Co. and tho N.Z. Express Company have given _ their drivers a week's notice, which will, of course, be withdrawn if the striko is settled, and there- is cargo to be worked. The Canterbury A. and P. Association will bo considerably inconvenienced if the drivers como out, as a start- will require to bo made soon to cart out material to Addington for tho show. Tho Employers' Association informed a reporter that ill tho event of cargo loaded by outsido labour coming to hand in Christclmrch, unionist drivers would be given tho opportunity to handle it, and, if they declined to do so, arrangements would bo made to handle it by other labour.

Tire tram Men and Seamen. Much curiosity is being shown as to tramway employees and their attitude regarding tho strike. Tho matter is to be discussed at morning and evening meetings, to bo held on Tuesday. T,hoy are stated to bo sympathetic with tho strikers, but tlio Tramway ' Board authorities do not anticipate that their men will prove disloyal to the 60.rvjc0, and public business men seem fairlv confident that tlio strike will bo all over earlv next week. A business man interested in shipping told a reporter that matters would 1 bo fixed up soon. He did not believe that the seamen would join in. Unionists and Labourites, on the other hand, are apparently preparing for tt protracted struggle, and some' assert that'tlio seamen, if eallcd upon will come out. Up Goes Petrol. An advance in the price of petrol by Is. per caso is reported. A lino of 600 cases was dispatched yesterday to the West Coast,- whero supplies aro running short. Bad for Bootmakers. A leading local boot manufacturer replying to a reporter's inquiry said that whilst thero was no desire on tho part of his firm to impose hardship on their employee's (as they recognised that they were not responsible for tho strike) the firm would no compelled to .shut down, unless tho usual shipping facilities aro restored soon. ■ Tho firm's output go 03 to tho North' Island principally, and the firm draws its supplies from Auckland. If it' can noither get its orders outside Ohristchuroh dispatched, nor receive its goods from the North Island, the factory will bo automatically closed. Other largo mojiufaeturers of boots in Christohurck aro contemplating similar action. Tho closing of tho boot factories will cause a certain amount of hardship, as work has not been plentiful recently, and very few (if any) of the factories havo been working full time. Confeotioners Paid Oft. At the Atlas Confectionery works six hands were dispensed with yesterday. It was stated that unless further supplies of sugar aro availablo it will bo necessary to close the works down completely next week. '■ Farm Implements. To a- large extent the business in farm implement manufactures is a seasonu.blo one. The manufactured article is required at a certain season of the yoar, and though implements will not deteriorate by being kept, their salo will bo lost if shipping facilities aro not restored. It is estimated -that about three-fifths of tho output of tho local implement manufacturers goes to, tiio North Island, and consequently tho absence of transport at this particular time of the year will havo a dcletorio-,13 effect, and possibly lead to tho shortening of hands. Tlio rangcmaking industry is another that is 'similarly, affected. Messrs. Scott Brothers state that, unless tlio port is open, it will bo necessary to 6iiorten lianas at t.io end. of next week. Other Industries. Grain growers in Canterbury and bakers in the North Island will ho. seriously affected by the absence of transport facilities. Building operations arc likely to bo affected, as all cement used hero has to be brought from other parts of the Dominion, and the stocks held localivi aro not largo. Other manufacturers likely to bo affected, owing to their inability to get their products shipped, are .tho soap and candle works, picklo and 6auco works, and woollen "°\. 1 nimeur gained wide publicity in the city on Saturday that Messrs. Aulschrook and 00., omifccticncry manufacturers, had boon compelled to discharge their hands owing to the firm's inability to eccuro sugar. A reporter was. however, informed by tho managing director of tlio firm that ilvo rumour was not true. Tho. firm had a fortnight's supply of. sugar m hand, he said, and tlio only difficulty at present was to get away orders. If it camo to a case of tlio firm being compelled to dismiss some of its hands, single men rid havo to go first, the married men being kept on as long as possible.