STAGE THUNDER IN THE SQUARE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1907, 15 November 1913, Page 6

STAGE THUNDER IN THE SQUARE.

SPEECHES OFF THE CART. THE UNTRUTHFUL MOANA STORY. GIVEN OUT AS FACT. Fairly large masses uf strikers wero addressed in the Square yesterday. The first speaker, Mr. P. Bruce, traversed the statement that the prime movers in the- strike were foreigners. Ho then repeated the old battle cry that "so far as the waterside workers were concerned, they wero going to win all along tho line." .This was received with the usual applause. He went on to say that the spectacle of seeing the employers driving their own'carts did them good. ■ If was pleasing to see the bosses working once in a while. He then reaffirmed the shaky thesis that tho watersiders stood <o-dav just as they had stood at first. If the authorities thought that by the arrest of five leaders they could cripple the Federation of Labour they were making a big mistake. Five men did not constitute the Federation. Even if they arrested 1500 men, another 1500 could be found to take their places. He reyiowed the progress of the strike sinco its beginning "Moana in Worser Bay." The strikers had baekc-d down as far as they could, and tho employers would have to knock them clean out before they would move another step. He was sure that many unions in Wellington would come out if they were called upon. The speaker then made the astonishing assertion that the Federation did not wish to call them out, as they could not give any material help such as the drivers could. Still, they might be called later, if it were found necessary. He then went,on tp make the untruthful assertion that-the Moana had returned to Worser Bay. Hβ did not know what was tho reason for her return, but it was certain that the farmers' produce was no nearer 'Frisco than it had been days before. A voice: It should bo at the bottom of the sea. Mr. Bruce on Farmer;. Mr. Bruce, continuing, said that the report from Auckland that- the Northern Company's seamen had remained in 1 their ships was incorrect. When the: call came 150 men stepped ashore, leavin only five behind. He was earefuj to guard his next statement by the words, "so far as he knew," he said that only four men had left the ranks of tho old Waterside Union in Wellington to return to work ottt of a total membership of 1600. The officials of the new union said that they had 400 members, but theso (He thought) could not take the place of 2000. He passed on to say that the biggest fool in New Zealand was the farmer. He stuck up for the monopoly which doubled his freights when it gave its -employees / a small increase in wages-. Man Who Knew Why Moana "Camo Back.". Mr. Raglan, one of tho Seamen's Union representatives on the Strike Committee, said that the pr-evioiis day over £300 had been collected in Lyttet-' ton towards the striko fnnd. This was remarkable for such a. small place, and if they had the same unanimity in Wellington they would havo nothing to fear. This speaker also repeated the untruthful statement that the Moana had returned, and went on to sAy-that.ilfe.ro were two reasons for her return; (1) That the men were incapable of. getting up steam; and (2) that the atmosphere on board was too hot for them, daughter.) The provisions of the MWdmnt Shipping Amendment Act, he 'asserted-, had not been adhered to by tho- employers, and when this troii.Me'was over there would bo a crop of They were busy with one big case now. so that they could not take oii any others just at present, but they woiiftl come later. Tho loaders wlra had been arrested were anxious that, the workers should stick-to tha fight. If the strikers would only stand solidly together they were prepared to stay in prison for a long term. If, however, there were any signs of weakening, their health must suffer. Mr. G. G. Farland, secretary of the striking Waterside Union, detailed his particular version of events leading up to tlie strike. Ho said that whenever they made an attempt to settle- the. employers would not hear of it. The etn-i ployers were trying to do what they had' done in Timarii, where the watersiders , strike was broken by fres labour. Tlio watersiders 'had suffered under the arbitration syste-.n, and kac-w that they could not get justice from 'the Court. .The men determined that they would not go back under that system,! if the striko lasted for a year. The workers would not go baek from their present position so long as there rel.mained a- chance for a legitimate settlement. ■ What he euphemistically termed "an attempt" was being made to load the boats, so as to "delude" tho strikers into the idea that the men from tha country were taking their places, so that they might be induced to go baek to work. Without a bluelt ho added that tho drivers, 'ho seamen, and the miners were standing soydly by the watersiders, and if 1600 "scabs" started tvork next day on tlw wharve3 the boats could not be worked through lock'cf coal or labour. Mr. P. Hickey, secretary of tha Federation of Labour, lead several telegrams of encoar.igement which the strike committee had received from various places. One of these purported to be from Mr. AVilliams, secretary -of tho British Transport Federation, conveying the good wishes of his organisation. The speaker reforrad to the reJeaso of the Dublin stri'ie leader, Lajkin, and s-aid that it would be interesting to see if the press and Parliament of New Zealand tcok tho samo stand with re&ard to the five imprisoned leaders as tho English press and Cabinet took with regard to Larkin. He said that it was a strange thing that rho teting-secretary of the new Arbitration union of watersitlers should be Mr. M'Robie, an officer of the Employers , Association. • Several other speakers also addressed tho meeting.