PROPOSALS ON FOOT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1896, 3 November 1913, Page 8

PROPOSALS ON FOOT.

SPECIAL MEN POURING INTO TOWN. STONE-THROWING IN STREETS. MUTINY PKEACHED TO STRIKERS. ATTACK ON' A TRAIN.THE: : CREW OF THE WAHINE COME OUT, I. , ■ r " . • * Waterside Workers, when they broke their agreement, were - being paid Is. sd. an hour ordinary time, 2s. 2d. an hour overtime up to 10 p.m.! 2s. 3d. per hour overtime 10 p.m. to 8 a.m." .special'work'Special rates of pay we re provided, coal carriers, the highest paid, receiving 2s. an hour ordinary time, 3s. on hour '\ . "" overtime. • Friday, October 17.—Shipwrights asked for Incroass 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 B,ni. on Wednesday! October 22. Wednesday, ' October 22.— I "Stop-work" meeting of Waterside Workers' Union held on v/harf. While men were attending meeting, which, being held in working hours, was a breach of agreement, other union men wore put on to work in their places. Union desired .that "stop-work", men bo reinstated in their positions. Employers decided that men's action in knocking off work in broach of agreement ter- • minatcd 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. Watorside Workers' Union strikes. Thursday, October 23.—Big mass meeting of strikers. Wharves ' picketed. Union S.S. Company pays crews off colliers. Free labourers commence work. Negotiations between striko 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 Friday, October 24.—Scenes of violence on tho wharves. Conferenco ;'of Foderatlon 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 *ln small steamers. Saturday, October 25.—Further scenes of violence on wharves. Steamers Defender and Nlkau rushod—crews Intimidated. Police from country arrive. Employers issue, a statement to tho effect that no watersides will be employed until a fresh organisation be formed and registered under Arbitration Act. Watersiders decide to continue strike. Harbour Board pickets the wharves. Sunday, Octobor 26—.Mass meoting 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 23.—Conferenco betwoen 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 tho stream. Racehorses allowed to leave for south. Wednesday, October 29.—Employers' proposals from previous even- . . .ing's conference submitted to the watersiders, and rejected. Raid made on flour and other provisions being sent to Day's Bay by Cobar. Goods subsequently allowed to be shipped. Further violent speeches by agitators In the Post Office' Square. Encounter at night between suspected free labourers and strikers at Waterloo Quay. Auckland and Westport watersiders strike. Thursday, October 30.—Strikers assault special constables, Waterloo Quay fonce broken down and horses liberated. Men of H.M.S, Psyche on parade. Psjche's stores landed from Ullmaroa by bluejackets. Mounted constables parade streets and charge strikers in Post Office Square.' Three hundred special constables sworn in. Onset on Messrs. Whitcombo and Tombs' shop; constable severoly wounded. Prime Minister states the Government's position. Lytteltoh watersiders strike. Saturday, November I.—Quiet day. Employers enlarge their strike committee. Large bodies of specials arrive from the country. Skirmishes with strikers in town. Wahine's crew give notice to strike. Oamaru watersiders Join strike. I Sunday, November 2.—Amalgamation of United Federation of Labour and United- Labour Party. Deputation from those bodies to Priirie Minister with proposals for settlement. Mass meetings at Newtown Park and Opora House. Further contingents of special constables arrive. Wahino laid up in stream. Strike pickets withdrawn from wharves. Outlook for settlement more hopeful. Groymouth Union come out on striko.

The event of yesterday in the watersiders' strike was a dofinite attempt on the part of tho Federation of Labour and the ctriko officials to initiate negotiations for a settlement. 'A meeting of Federation of Labour delegates and representatives of other labour organisations was held in the forenoon, and following up this a deputation interviewed tho Prime Minister in the afternoon, and asked him to arrange' another conference with tho employers if-possible. The basis . of settlement put forward on behalf of the strikers was one that. they recently rejected whon it was offered by tho employers—that work should be resumed on tho old conditions, but that provision should be made for a penalty 'in tho event of any breach of the agreement binding tho watersiders and their employers." The Primo Minister promised to promote -a conference if ■possible, and it is possible that one will fte held to-day.

"No, I'm not—a lot of people think I'm that Mr. Cohen." "We Icnow you, and we know you're on tho Harbour I3oardl" And with that, tho man drew a revolver, and presented it at Mr. Cohen. "Now, put that away," said Mr.' Cohen, now ■ genuinely alive to tho situation. "It might, go offl" "It's going to go off, you 1" said the man, who appeared to have been drinking. "AVie'ro going to perish you I" Mr. Cohen again explained that he was not tho Mr. Cohen who was a ' member of the Harbour Board, and sought to prove it. His words evidently had a ring of conviction, for 0110 of the other men told tho aggressor to put Hs revolver away, and the third one backing him up also urged tho gunman to desist, and with that he replaced tho revolver in his pocket.