LONDON VAN BOY'S STRIKE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1905, 13 November 1913, Page 5

LONDON VAN BOY'S STRIKE

AMUvS'TXG MCKETtNG SCENES.

Humorous incidents occurred in. connection with a short-lived strike of van hoys at Messrs. Carte Patersou's, Gaswell Road, London depot. About 200 'boys came out oil strike, add they took the ftiatter very seriously, headquarters were established at street corners under the direction of, the "organiser," ayouth of 16, named "Patty" Harding. A number of the' lads engaged in "peaceful picketing" ill Old Street. The first victim was a mineral -water cart hoy. Ho was seized: by the strikers., but clung to his somewhat insecure perch on a gin.gef-beer case, to the great admiration of oity business men on the omnibuses and. tramcars, This youth •was saved through another's misfortune, A railway van came along, and reposing on a sack at tho rear was a dozing fat boy. The strikers turned their attention to hiiu with a whoop, and h6 awoke with n start to find hands seizing his logs and a number of his "''fellow Workers" trying to climb on to the tail* board. Tho watching crowd shrieked with laughter as tho fat boy kicked out in desperaticm. Things looked otaiiious. when tho intimidated boy's 'bed Was pulicd from wider him, but then tho strikers suddenly bolted,. Out of a side turning strode a policeman, who took in tho situation at a, glance and changed his stride to a trot. The strikers lied, ami at a * safe distance tiied to regain their dignity. Eventually,.the.parties to the dispute camo to terms. The boy?.' pay, from a ; n average of 7s. a week, has now been raised to a sum varying between Bs. and 145., in accordance with the ago of tlio boys and the. type of duty. Harding, tho lcadef of the strikers, managed his "men" very adroitly, and showed courage, they say, by being "tho fust tor como out on' tlio top tw «w> back,'* ■ 'Mf