THE GENERAL STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1902, 10 November 1913, Page 8

THE GENERAL STRIKE.

CALL TO .GO BROADCAST.

TRUMP CARD DRAWN.

LABOUR'iS CAMP DIVIDED.

AN OUTSPOKEN CRITIC.

TWO SENSATIONAL ARRESTS MADE.

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. For special work special rates of pay were provided, coal carriers, the highest paid, receiving 2s. an hour ordinary time, 3s. an hour overtime. ' s

11 Friday, October 17.—Shipwrights asked for Increase- 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 a.m. on Wednesday,' October 22.

Wednesday, October 22,—"Stop-work" meeting of Waterside Workers' Union held on wharf. While men were attending meeting, which, being helds in .working hours, was a breach of agreement, other union men were 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 breach of agreement terminated the agreement with the union, which had been entered into in 1912. . Watersido Workers' Union hand control of strike over to the • Federation of Labour. Waterside 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. Negotiants between strike delegates and employers fail. Report of intention of Waterside Workers' Union to register a second union, under tho Arbitration Act. Speeches in the Post Offici Square' / • "

Friday,; October 24.—Scenes of violence on the wharves. of Federation 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 in small steamers.

Saturday, October 25.—Further scenes of violence on wharves. Steamers Defender and Nikau rushed—crews intimidated. Police from country arrive. Employers issue a statement to the effect that no watersiders will bo employed until a fresh organisation be formed and registered under Arbitration Act. Watersiders' decide to continue strike. Harbour. Board pickets the wharves.

Sunday, October 26—.Mass meeting at 2.15 p.ni. in Post Offic# 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 28.—Conference between 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 "i iin iithe vstream. Racehorses allowed to leave for south.

41 j t Wednesday, October 29—Employers' proposals'from previous evening's conference submitted to the watersiders, and rejected. Raid made ' on flbur 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 Squaro. Encounter at night between suspected fr;ee labourers arid .strikers at Waterloo Quay. Auckland and Westport watersiders strike..

Thursday, October 30,—Strikers assault special*constables, Waterloo Quay fence brokon down and horses liberated. Men of H.M.S. Psyche on parade. Ps)«he's stores landed from Ulimaroa by bluejackets. Mounted constables parade streets and charge strikers in Post Office Square. Three hundred special constables sworn in. Onset on Messrs. Whitcombe and Tombs' shop; constable severely wounded. Prime Minister states the Government's position. Lyttelton 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. Oamarii watersiders join strike.

Sunday, November 2.—Deputation from combined Labour bodies to Prime-Minister .with proposals for settlement., Mass meetings at Newtown Park and Opera 'House.. (Further contingents of special constables arrive. Wahine laid'up in stream. Strike pickets withdrawn from, wharves. Outlook for settlement more hopeful. Greymouth Union conio out on strike.

Monday, November 3.—Wahine's ! men' 'come' ashore. Wellington branch of Seamen's Union;decide-to.strike if free labour is employed. Negotiations between employers 1 .and workers entered-upon and adjourned till following day;. Mapourika enters ferry service to replace Wahine. Government steamers held in readiness for,mails. Serious riot in Taranaki; Street, special oonstables being attacked by mob. Several persons injured—three seriously. Revolvers usecL ' Mob indulges in window-breaking and other damage. ;

Tuesdayji.Noyember 4.—Negotiations for settlement broken off on employers stipUlating ; on union registering under Arbitration Act, Employers refuse. Harbour Board's invitation to meet workers in conference. Mass meeting W; strikers at Newtown Park. Hinenioa's crew give notice. Two special .constable'sseverely 'handled in Tory Street. Attempt to block cartage of straw ,to barracks. : Mayor closes seven hotels in evening. Royal Ti(jfir ; Hotel besieged. Two men arrested.

Wednesday, 5.-Racehorses for New Zealand Cup Meeting shipped on Maunganui for Lyttelton by free labour. Mounted special constables guarding the! wharf storied'.by. crowd. Eight arrests made and about thirty persons wounded ,ln the 'melee. '

Thursday, November 6.—New. : Wharf. Labourers' Union registered. Members commence work loading; tlio Athenic at Glasgow Wharf. Wharf approaches guarded by.; mounted arid . foot ''specials,!', Fine display "law and order" troops, who were cheered through the city. City "specials" paraded for first tiine—make a gallant show. Stone-throwinq ceases. A quiet night.

Friday, November. Athenic, . VVillochra, and Moana worked by Arbitrationists. .Moana's crew leaves ship, and Wlllochra's deside to follow. :Union, Company's.permanent hands join strike. Wharves guarded by special constables. > '

Beyond the extraordinary conditions /generally under which business lifo in 'Wellington is existing at present, particularly commercial lifo connected directly with the waterside and shipping, tho week-end has been a quiet'one. Saturday,- perhaps, was the quietest day of all, as far as hostilities are coneerned, and though there is a, threat of a. general trades union, strike, in support of the watersiders, the strikers themselves are remarkably quiescent. Many of them wore a very jaded and dejected look as they noted the boats

working with new union labour on Sat-

urday, and' some of the men, with more ' courage than others, are openly 6aying that they are tired of the whole business, as thoy seo tho prospects of any ultimate advantage being gained receding further and further from view. Many of. tho employers, it is freely stated, aro prepared to continue tho

loss entailed by the stoppage of their factories rather than submit to the * tyranny of the Federation of Labour. "When the report'was circulated that the Auckland -trado. unions wero out, one big City employer, who has the reputation of being "a good' boss," said: "Well, let them come out, and much good may it do them, i I'm prepared to close up the works for a month, rather than put up with this sort of thing any longer. It vouid hurt my year; but it would , not hurt me so much as them, so we're all in the same boat! "Is it'-right" that-the local tramway, men arc coming out?" asked another business-man 1 on Saturday. . "It is possible, but not probable, said t'ho party, addressed* t'hut I fto mot

really think our men will be influenced by tile'lederation leaders. They are now on a very good wickot, which mav not be so soft a little later."

"I've got to that stage now that I don t caro much .if they do stop the cars. It will not' do tho people any harm to walk for a while instead of ride every few yards. Business is a bit slow at present—especially cosh business—and if it gots worse, it won't matter a great deal whether the trams do or do not run. If they do, I'll spend a few weeks in Rotorua now, instead of waiting till tho new year."

A large retachment of mounted and foot "specials" from the country proceeded to the wharves at 7.30 a.m. oh Saturday as usual, and tho work was done on the Athenic and Moana without any further disturbance. It was thought that therd might be trouble in connection with the Maunganui, due. to leave for Sydney at 8 p.m. As it was no use risking anything, a couple of squadrons of "specials" were detached to guard the King's Wharf, 60 that any work in connection -.with tho vessel could bo done without molestation. As tho Maiinganui was late in getting away (it was after 11 p.m. before she sailed), the "specials" had- a long, cold vigil to keep, but there was no murmuring or grumbling of any kind. Tho night, passed without incident.

'During the week-end a waterside worker was arrested oil a charge of having attempted to murder Commissioner Cullen during the Buckle Street riot. A tramway motornian was also arrested on a charge of assault in connection witli the running down of a special-constable's horse.

Tho striko in Auckland is now general, and to-day suoh unions in .Wol-

hngton as respond to the Federation of Labour's call for a general strike will probably cease work.

An important development in tho situation is tlio action of the AVatersido Workers' Federation, comprising the unions registered under the Arbitration Act, in inviting the new Wellington union to join the Federation.