BAIL REFUSED.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1905, 13 November 1913, Page 8

BAIL REFUSED.

FIVE- MEN . LODGED' IN PRISON. D ARKEST OF W. T. YOUNG. THE PORT' NOW UNLOCKED. / r • —. HARBOUR SHEDS OPEN. ,

• \--Ai' V: * ■ " WORK PROCEEDING IN OTHER CENTRES. ■ Waterside Workers, when they broke their agreement, were ' being paid Is. sd. an hour ordinary time, 2s; 2d. an hour overtime .'. v uo'to '10 D.m.; 25..3d; pet 1 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. ' ' .. •■ Friday, October .17.—Shipwrights asked for increase in wages. Satur- * day, 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 Z2.

" /.'-"/Wednesday,-'' October 22.—"Stop-work" meeting of Waterside Workers' Union hold-on wharf. While men were attending meeting, which, being held in working hours, was a breach of agreement, other union men were 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 breach of agreement terminated 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. Waterside Workers' Union strikes.

Thursday, October 23.—Big mass meeting of strikers. Wharves picketed. Union S.S. Comp'any pays crews off colliers. Free labourers commence work. Negotiations between strike 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 the wharves, Conference,, of Federation of Labour-delegates proves abortive. Employers decide to cease work as far as handling cargo is concerned. Fifty police guard the wharvesT 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 be 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.m. in ; Post Offico Square. Procession to Basin Reserve, Gate broken down by crowd. Inflammatory speeches by strike lea dors. I

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 in the stream. Racehorses allowed to leave for south.

. Wednesday, October 29.—Employers' proposals from previous evening's conference submitted to the watersiders, and rejected.- Raid made : ,flourand other v provisions being sent to Day's Bay by Cobar. Goods 'Supsequenily allowed to bB shipped. Further violent speeches by SgitaJojrs' in. the';post Office Square. Encounter at night between sus--pectedfree labourers and strikers at Waterjoo Quay. Auckland and Westport watersiders strike. .

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

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. '

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 come 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 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 Taranakr Street, special oonstables being attacked by mob. Several persons injured—three seriously. Revolvers used. Mob indulges in window-breaking and other damage.

. Tuesday, November 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 of strikers at Newtown Park. Hinemoa's'crow-give notice. Two special constables severely handled in Tory Street, Attempt to block cartage of straw to barracks. Mayor closes seven hotels in evening. Royal Tiger Hotel ;besieged. Two men arrested.

Wednesday, November s.—Racehorses for New Zealand Cup Meeting shipped on Maunganui for Lyttelton by free labour. Mounted special constables guarding >the wharf stoned by crowd. Eight arrests made, and about thirty persons; wounded ,in thermeiee.

Thursday 1 , November 6,—New Wharf Labourers' Union registered. Members commence work loading the Aihenic at Glasgow Wharf. Wharf approaches guarded by mounted and foot "specials." Fine display "law and order" troops, who were cheered through the city. City "specials" paraded for first time—make a gallant show. Stone-throv/ing ceases. A quiet night. ■

. Friday, November 7.— S.S. Athenic, Willochra,'and Maana worked by Arbitrationists. Moana's crew leaves ship, and Willochra's deside to'follow. Union Company's permanent hands join strike, Wharves guarded by special constables. ; '

Saturday, November B.—General strike in Auckland, special constables take possession of waterfront. Waterside Federation invites new Wellington Union to-affiliate. P.'J. Bassett arrested on charge of attempting to murder Commissioner Cullen. Wellington seamen decide to come out.

Sunday, November 9.—General strike called in Wellington. Mass meeting in Opera House. : .

' Monday, November 10.—Drivers' Union' decides to Join tho strike. Goods' carted-from wharf to warehouses under escort. Seven thousand out of work in Auckland.

Tuesday, Npvember 11.—Four strike leaders, Messrs. Semple, Holland, "Fraser, and Bailey arrested. Members of-Drivers' Union stop work. ,

Every, outward. sign'indicates that the ' strike is' broken. • Along tho waterfront the aspect of things is becoming almost normal, and but for the presence of regular and special constabulary and tho occasional appearance of flying squadrons of mounted men at unexpected places, strangers would scarcely recognise that there is a strike at all. Tho alert stand-to-attention attitude of tlio mounted "specials" has been considerably relaxed, and tho men are allowed to fraternise with the public during such time as they are "at oase." This indicates two things—that the public appreciate tho service which these men have done the-city, and that the need for rigid attention and alert watchfulness is fading away. As soon, however, as the order is given to form up, it is invariably carried out in a ' smart 1 manner. Naturally tho chief topic of conversation on tho waterside yesterday was tho arrest-of" Messrs. Somplo, Holland, Bailor Fraser, and Young. Among a lun'o section of the watersidors who hnvo been opposed to the methods of the Fcderationists, tho■ action, of t ie authorities has given relief, and the willing men who are desarous to get back to work beliovo that there w pow.

a brighter prospect- of a termination of hostilities'. Had the management of tho strike been left in tho hands of tlio Waterside Workers' Union (instead of being vested in tho , Federation of Labour), several of the members believe that a settlement would have been arrived at long before now. A& will be seen from reports elsewhere, work fit the wharves is proceeding faster every day. Not only has all tho fruit by the Willochra and' Navua been cleared from the Harbour Board's sheds, but yesterday saw a big team of lorries carting general cargo away from the wharves without escort. Tho lorries were being driven by the heads of tho firms and managers for the nuiin part, who undertook the operation with thorough enjoyment. The following steamers were being worked vesterday at the wharves—Athenic, Corinthic, Northern, Dorset, nnd Rimutaka. The Moana left for San Francisco last night, and the Willochra is announced to depart for Sydney to-morrow. The Nelson service is being resumed by the small steamers Niluiu and Kaitoa, and tho ferry service (to Lyttolton) by tho Mapourika and Patcena. Tho strikers hold a mass meeting at tho Opera House during yesterday afternoon, from which the Press wen; excluded. The icsoliitions passed appear elsewhere. Tho parades of the [ special men irom the Mount Oook

barracks wero without incident. They arc noiv engaged daily in patrolling the whole of the city in case of'disturbances that may occur at places remote from the water-front.

The boycott aga.inst tho Willochra's fruit was completely lifted yesterday, and the greater part of tho Wellington consignments were sold, botli Europeans and Chines© buying freely.- As tho result tho fruit-shop windows arc showiug more colour thao for a week or two past.