OPERATIONS GROWING.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1908, 17 November 1913, Page 8

OPERATIONS GROWING.

NINETEEN BOATS WORK TO-DAY.

MEN'S- FIRST 'PAY DAY.

mSGITMMJE TO £8 A" WEEK.

MAORI RESUMES HER RUN.

MORE UNIONS DECLINE TO STRIKE.

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 i 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. Saturday, October 18,—Shipwrights ceased work. -■'-.y. Monday, October : 20.—Firft mass meeting Waterside Workers' Union, . at which it was decided to call a "stop-work" be held at 8 'a.m.'on* Wednesday, October ZZ. Wednesday, October, 22.—"Stop-work" meeting of Waterside ' .Workers' Union held on wharf. While men were attending meeting, which,.being held in working hours, was a breach of agreement, yither . union men were put on to work.in their places! Union desired that '■'"stop-work" men be reinstated in their positions, and absolutely refused to work unless ail of the meh formerly employed at the various ,jobs were reinstated. Employers decided that men's action in knocking off;work and refusing to go back 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 'Waterside Workers' Union strikes. ... Thiirsday v October 23.—Big mass meeting of strikers. Wharves ' . picketed. Union S.S. Company, pays 'crews off colliers, Free labourers commence, wbrki- Negotiations between strike delegates and employers . fail.' Report,of intention, of Waterside Union to register a second union under the Arbitration Act. Speeches in the Post Office, . ' Square ; .. Friday, October,24.'-rrScenes of violence on the wharves. Conference of Federation of' Labour delegates proves abortive. .Employers decide to cease \york ,as far fas handling cargo is concerned. Fifty police guard the wharves; ; Warehousi) clerks work cargo in small steamers. • ■'"•Saturtfay,''October 25.—Further scenes of violence on wharves. 1 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 Act. Watersiders decide to continue strike. Harbour Board pickets the wharves. .Sunday, October 26—.Mass meeting at 2.15 p.m. in Post Ofßco ■ " Squaro.. Procession to Basin: Reserve. Gate broken down by crowd, "Inflammatory speeches by strike leaders. , '■ ' Monday, October 27.—Labour, Day and a holiday. ■ Observed by as -well as the public.. No change in the situation. , ! Tuesday, October .28;— Conference, between employers and employees. ~w|th; Hori..;,WiF. Massey, Prime Minister, as chairman. More „police iarrive: ,S;S, ' Nikau rushed. All steamers move.to an anchorage •in: the stream. ißaceh'orses allowed to leave for south. "Wednesdayj October 2D.—Employers' proposals from previous even- ■' ■Ing's conference submitted to the'watersiders, and rejected. Raid made on flour and other; provisions being sent to Day's Bay by Cobar. Goods ''subsequently allowed to ,be shipped. Further violent speeches by .iagitators in the Post Office Square. Encounter at night between suspected,free labourers and strikers at Waterloo \Quay. Auckland and j .j,.M . Thursday, October 30.—Strikers assault special constables, Waterloo ' Quay fence broken-down and horses liberated. Men of H.M.S. Psyche on parade.' Psjihe's stores landed from Ulimaroa by bluejackets. Mounted constables parade streets and charge strikers in' Post Office . Squar?. 'Three hundred special constables sworn in. Onset on Messrs. 1 . Whiteombe and Tombs' shop; constable soverely wounded. Prime Minister states the Government's position. Lyttelton watersiders strike.' Saturday/ November I.—Ctuiet day. Employers enlarge .their strike • committee; Large bodies of specials arrivo from the country. Skir■.;mishes with strikers in town. W.ahine'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 , Wahihe. Government steamer? held in readiness for mails. Serious riqt in Taranaki Street, special constables 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 refuso Harbour. Board's invitation to meet workers in conference. Mass meeting* of strikers at Newtown Park. Hinemoa's crew 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 the melee. Thursday, Novethber 6.—New Wharf Labourers' Union registered. Members copimence work loading the, Athenic ai. Glasgow Wharfi Wharf approaches guarded by. mounted and foot "specials," Fine display "lav/: and order" troops, who were cheered through the city. '' City "specials" paraded for first time—make a gallant show. Stone-throwing ceases. • A quiet night. Friday, November 7.— S.S. Athenic, Willochra, and Moana 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\at,tempting to murder Commissioner Cullen. Wellington seamen decide to come out, g Sunday, November 9 r —General strike called in Wellington. Mass meeting in' Opera House. • . Monday, November 10.—Drivers' Union decides to join thi strike, • Good's carted from wharf to warehouses iinder escort. Seven thousand out of work in Auckland. Work increasing at wharves. ' Tuesday, November 11.—Four strike leaders, Messrs. Semple, Holland, Fraser, and Bailey arrested. Members of Drivers' • Union stop work. More steamers worked at v/harves. Wednesday, November 12.—y. T, Young, Secretary Wellington Soamen's Union, arrested. T. Barker, organiser for 1.W.W., arrested at Auckland. All strike leaders under arrest remanded for a week. Oversea and coastal steamers worked in Wellington. Goods carted from wharvos without escort. . ■ Thursday, N ovem ' jer Trades' Labourers'. Union joins strike. New Arbitration Act Drivers' Union formed. Nine steamers 'worked at wharves, .

Friday, November 14.—Seventeen working cargo, and five others coaling. New Drivers' .Union registered. United Labour Party declares against, the strike. ' . ,

The chicf feature-of,the strike now is that the port of Wellington is now practioally unlocked. Nineteen<steamers are to work to-day.' Tho now Arbitrationists' Union ; h'as a membership of over 640 men, and it'is understood that 400 of these are desirous of staying on permanently. Saturday was tho first pay d:ty for tho now workers, and, as will bo seen from reports' elsewhere, •• si number earned and received a capital week's -.wages. Tho highest amount paid for a week's work was £8. Ono of the features of yesterday's shipping was the arrival of the Maori from Lyttelton with a cr9W that included two captains, thirteen other deck officers, riijl A -'dozen engineers. A number of firemen sent- down from Wellington mado up the complement. There was a • goo'' deal of disappointment amongst the decfe officers and engineers who wanted to join,-.the Maori s crow, out had to bo,left behind. The selection ot those .who . did join wa? made by ballot. Hearty cheers wero exchanged by tiio

passengers and people ashore wlien the Maori left Lyttelton—a recognition of tho pluck and enterprise on, the part of the officers and engineers, which had made it _ possible to again put tho steamer into commission. There was an equally hearty demonstration whon the Maori, arrived at Wellington. One of the Maori's passengers was Sir Jas. Mills,

Cabals and intrigues by the -'strike loaders to extend the strike continue, with results' as announced elsewhere. Tho Wellington tram men met yesterday, and decided not to cancel their registration under the Arbitration Act; During the afternoon, and evening strike demonstration meetings wero belli, and tho usual class of speeches delivered.