WESTPORT HARD HIT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1897, 4 November 1913, Page 9

WESTPORT HARD HIT.

THE FOOD SOTPLIES VERY LOW. (By IWeffrajh—Press Association.) Westport, November 3. No section of the Dominion is harder hit by the effects of. tho Wellington and Hixntly strikes than tho Westport district. Nearly- all tho productive industry supporting a population of eleven thousand is at a standstill. The watersiders' strike automatically closed all collieries, and now tho Millerton, Stockton, and Denniston men havo declared sympathetic strikes and announce that whatovor the result of the Wellington struggle thoy will not resumo work until the men alleged to have been victimised at Huntly are reinstated. Tho only large employer of labour continuing operations is the Harbour Board. Either through failure of revenue or tho action of the union governing the employees, the board's works may possibly closo down this week. Tho Railway Department has reduced the train running to tho minimum, and temporarily laid idle a number or men by insisting that those entitled to holidays must take thom now. Private firms will also find it necessary to shorten hands.

Customers Rush to Stores. The question of the food supply to this isolated district may soon be serious. During ten days only 25 tons of edibles hare been landed. The stores have been rushed by customers in an amazing manner, and the leading lines, flour, oatmeal, BUgar, and potatoes, have been exhausted in many snops, and are in short supply in others. From the point of view of food the inhabitants of tho colliery townships on the Denniston and Millerton hills will bo the first to feel tho pinch, and that very soon. Tho Watcrsiders' Union '.will now probably agree to discharge foodstuffs from steamers on certain conditions, but how orders are to bo loaded at tho exporting ports is another question.' 1 The whitebait industry is expected to assist in a slight degree in maintaining the' town unemployed, but bad weathor militated against .the movement of tho fisli. Tho stocks of tins at the factories will not last long. As the collieries are calling out tho engine-drivers, this means a stoppage of the fans in the mines, and the deprivation of electric lighting for houses using it and tho picture shows. Reofton, November 8. A large importation of foodstuffs lias relieved the danger of a shortage for a few-we6ks, but fodder for horses is very scarce; and it will be difficult to keep tho mines going with timber.