THE STRIKERS' MEETING.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1898, 5 November 1913, Page 6

THE STRIKERS' MEETING.

AT NEWTOWN PARE. LEADERS FACING POSITION. " MIXED UTTERANCES. A mass meeting of strikers and others was held at Novtown Park last oven- ? speaker was Professor Aiills, who opened by remarking: "This ngnt will be won, and not because wo are numerous, but because wo are earnest, Proceeding, ho said that tho employers wore absolutely ono and tneir organisations represented private monopolies, those who controlled tho natural resources of tho country, the employers of .labour, and those who fixed tiie prices of commodities. There was only one thing that oould defeat Labour, and that was not tho strength • omplover, but a poEsiblo division within their own ranks. For the fcrst time, the indication was that Labour would be as solid at the end or that struggle as it was at tho beginning, as thero was no body under the heavens which coild. defeat them. Let them havo absolute confidence in one another and see to it that if any blood was spilt upon tho_ streets it should iiofc bo that of their neighbours, but tlieir own. They wero not goinp, victory in tho face of a 'blazing rifle, but they meant to bo ruled by reason consideration, and justice, iloy had had communications that day. from all parts, and all said: "Labour must win m tins figlit. ' After tho three-minutes' conference, and after they fed got away "from tho stench of its ungodly presence," they got a reques, from the Harbour Board that they should meet once moro. They had, therefore, prepared tho following resolution to send to "our servants, who are managing our harbour in tho name of out Harbour Board, running our affairs":— '* Whereas tho publio convenience iB greater than than of private comfort, and whereas tho attempt to use unorganised labour on the water front cannot but lead to jjroat publio disorder and widespread distress, and whereas tho Wharves aro publio property, controlled by tho Harbour Board, created to represent the public interests; therefore it is resolved _by this public. meeting of citizens of Wellington that wo request tho Harbour Board to close tho gates _of tho harbour against all unorganised labour, and not to permit tho employment of any but members of the Watorsiders' Union, that union to remain a voluntary, self-governing body of watersiders, free* from-the dictation or control of private shipping companies."

The resolution was curried,

Maintain, Law and Order,

Mr. P. J. O'Regan said that maybe no was speaking to them on the eve of a groat calamity, which would culminate ■in bloodshed, and jiq greater disaster could befall that country, bo ho his words would rectify the unfortunate position that h.u9 arisen. That afternoon's conference had proved futile, because tlio employers had insisted upoiv a condition which was impossible of acceptance—that the union niust_ register tinder the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. That Act presupposed that tho men were voluntary agents, and a resolution must be carried by the workers who. pro* posed to come under it-. If tho": delegates agreed to that condition they would bo assuming a, jurisdiction to compol the majority of the members of tho union to voto against their convictions to please a, handful of employers. II the acceptanco of that condition Was tlio only alternative ,to a bloody conflict tlio result would rest with those who iniposed it. It was better for that dis-

pute to be prolonged than- that the blood of ono innocent person should bo shed. _ I Ho congratulated them on tho maginficentt empcr of that meeting and on tho orderliness of all concerned throughout that dispute. Law and order must be maintained. I accept that condition and tho public should insist that tho men woro not forced to register under tho Arbitration Act. * Mr. Mickey Realises tho Gravity. Mr. P. Hickoy (Federation of Labour) reviewed tho negotiations, and went on to say that tho'employers woro merely a baud of snuffling hypocrites, telling tliom with ono breath they wanted a settlement, and asking thorn to do something which was opposed to all tho

statutes? of tho country with tho next. They realised tho gravity of tho situation, and what a propagation of tho strike Hvould mean, but they realised also that to accept tho dictates of tho employers would render their organisations impotent, and would smash tho spirit of unionism. Thoy would not pay pay that prico without giving tho employers a "go" for it. "Their Baoks to the Wall Now." Mr. R. Sample (Federation of Labour) said they recognised tho cravo responsibility renting on their shoulders, but ho contended that tho I'liino Minister was responsible for that afternoon's conference ending so quickly. Mr.-Mas-sey knew that tho militant spirit of organised labour, was growing daily, aiid that tliey wero going to ao with the bayonet, pistol, and bludgeon what they could not do otherwise. They had their backs to tho wall, and would never surrender. Unless that trouble was brought to a speedy end Now Zealand would witness ono of the greatest industrial revolutions that had over taken place. Boys were shot, schools wero closed, thoro wero ships in tho harbour

with their guns pointing up tho streots, all for what purpose? . If Seddon could rise from tho grave end look round lio would Say: ,J I am not in 'God's Own Country', out in Mexico." That dispute was all due to tho poisonous don called farliamont and tho poll* tical traitors who had turned tho country into a plaeo of revolution, spilling blood and destroying lifo in tno interests of a monopoly. But they would mako it impossible for thorn to continue that vicious programme. Spaeoh By An M.P. Mr. Hindmarsli, M.P., reported tliat at a special meeting of tho Harbour Board that afternoon lie proposed a resolution inviting tho employers and tlw men to a conference. Tho Federation of Labour accepted that invitation','hut tho employers would not. attend. So great would bo tho loss of capital before that struggle concluded that tho employers would not outer lightly into another. i "Defeat Croatcr Than Vlotory." Mr. Laureiison, M.P. for Lyttelton, .romarkod that tbax oouU i. win. th.it i

strike without public sympathy, and il it was proved that any watotsider had turojvn a brick or fired a 6hot> such a man was a greater enemy to those who ii'? ro i duoting that strike than any scab in_ tlie country. They may b<3 defeated in that- struggle, but some, times a defeat was the greatest victory, i'or years ho had believed in advancing tho masses and his profound belief waa . u ln . 'Ennediato future they tvould attain a position which all the sons of men should occupy. Mr. P. C. Webb, M.P., also made aft appeal for orderliness, and remarked that tho only way they could bo defeated was by some silly man committing a crime which would reflect upon tho union. H<i appealed to all not to give tlw police or others aiiy opportunity to rail foul of them. Industrial organisation would win where l all tho bullets' in the world failod.

"We Have Won." Mr. W. T. Young said that if rmt i**# W £ B I<7 would Mo at the feei or tho Employers' Federation, and tho Government. Ho admitted that he spoko •icry warmly at tho previous niizht's conference, but tho othor delegate# Btxako mors reasonably, and the employers took that as a sign, of weakfiesa. The maritime strike of 1800 wai a more flea-bite to what this would bo, as ovory union was prepared to "down tcols. To-morrow would see tho Auckland trtfmway men out, and it would not be long before tho Wellington tramway mon followed, Mr. Yoiing con. eluded: "Wo are not going to win—w® havo won; but tho employers ere too cowardly to mako tho admission." .Othar "Orators." Mr. P. Fraser (Social Dimooratia Party) proposed the following resolution, which was also carried:— " That in viow of tho employer#' rofusal to entertain tho very modorate proposals of tiho United Pod. oration of Labour, this ineoting of citizens of Wellington, in the interests of industrial poaco end law and order, demands tho immediate withdrawal of the present arnied forco of invaders."

Ho contended that there had been no justification for that ormod forco. _ Mr. Holland having spoken tho meeting dispersed-