STRIKERS AT BROOKLYN,

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

STRIKERS AT BROOKLYN,

THE LISTENERS FEW. A meeting of protest • against the arrest of tiie Federation leaders was held at Brooklyn last Jiight, but thotigh tlio speakers were many the listeners wore few. Mr. Stevens, - of the Drivers' Union, who opened, afterwards announced the result of tho secret ballot \yiiich_ had been taken with regard to the drivers as follows i-rlfor continuing the strike., 287; against, 33. He added that as die corporation, and bread drivers were, exempt they excluded them from the vote, and that "three mea amongst the 35 who had contracted tho disease had been purified that night." Mr, Fred Curtice, president of tho Watorsidera* Union, said that they had tried to confine the strike to ton, but the employers delayed the set-' tlemeut two hours too long, and when. Auckland joiued them the conduct of the strike had to be handed over to tho Federation under the Dominion agreement. If they were defeated bow, their "organisation, which had taken 23 years to build up, would lie smashed and tho employers would, see that it took 43 years to rebuild it. "If your spirit is i killed now," concluded the speaker, "then God help you in the future." Mr. G. Bruce, (assjatant-soorGtary of the Watersidors , Union) touched the question of foreign agitators. Bo went on to say that maiiy of the small tradespeople-'; who had no part in the dispme, were . losing their all, whilst j tho Union. Steam Ship Company, wha j 1 had a fleet uuotjualicd hi the Southern Hemisphere, were paying their 8 per cent, dividend. The workers, though' not living in tiro same- poverty as the London dock labourers., had to hunt round for a lodger to Kelp pay the rent, whilst the Londoner could always pay his own. He then referred to the men in gaol.. Ho thought that the Government would, hang them if they eoukl, ' but, ho added, they will most likely send them for a ""stretch," and most people will say "serve them right." But those leaders, he claimed, had as much right to make a speech as the capitalist bad to make that class war. "If Massey's dragoons were sent homo." added the speaker, '''the striko would end to-morrow, but tho result of tho : gaoling of our leaders "will be that more of our members will become agitatots." ■■ Attacking tho Mayor of Wellington far , his actions during tho strike, Mr. Bnwo i, remarked: "Mr. Luke has no moro right) ■ to bo Mayor of Wellington than he has , to be King of tho Caimibal Islands." , Mr. Keir, organiser pf the Shearers' ; Union, and late president of tho Cnii- . torbury Farm Labourers' Union, said a j fund had been started at Mastertoii to , assist them in that- fight for cmnnci- . nation. Ho was a Now ZealaiuW, but } when ho saw tho special men in charge 'j of the streets ho thought he was in j llussia. " ' I Mr. T. Banks, organiser of the Anek- , land LW.W.', who is out on bail, said j that, in spite of tho Press reports, there ( wero mo*o men onfc at Auckland thnn , ever. There were 13 unions out, in ad- \ difcion to 14 Minors' Unions. Ho asked ( them to follow Auckland's lead and tio ■] ui) 'tho country. ] Mr, Allan, gresideet of tho A.uddauid ,

Greneral Labourers' Union, . ga.id that though tlio employers beat them last year and imido them («> back under the Arbitration Act, yet they had now sent the agreement to a warm place and hatl come out to support the walersiders in«l miners. Even if tlio employers won this figlit also, it would bo followed by a bigger and a longer fight. Mr, Fsrland, secretary of tiro Wator'siders' Union, proposed tlio following resolution, which was carried: "That this meeting of Brooklyn citizens protests against thq unnecessary gaoling of Messrs. Semple. Holland., Fraser, Young, atid Bailey, on charges of sedition."