THE NEW UNION—750 STRONG.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1909, 18 November 1913, Page 8

THE NEW UNION—7SO STRONG.

200 TURNED AWAY. WORKERS ARRIVE FROM TARANAKI. It is becopiing clearer than ever <i.s the days go bj' that there is goiiig t-o bt no difficulty in obtaining workers lor tlio wharves. So obvious has it become that even strikers are realising it, and it is reckoned that in a very few days now the majority of the old unionists will grasp the fact, with results unwelcome to the Federation of Labour. -By Saturday , the membership of the new union had approachcd the 700 mark; today it would have almost reached 1000, but for the policy of the employers. Last evening the New Plymouth mail train brought to the city a large number of men, coma specially to join the new Arbitration Union, Many of these men intend to remain here, from what could be gathered yesterday. Of those from the city who . joined .yesterday, twelve are members of the old Waterside Workers' Union.

Two hundred applicants from the country were refused yesterday, because the employers'do not wish to go anywhere near overstocking . 'the wharves with workers. They do not wish to bring'here men. who might, through anything unforeseen, bo thrown idle. The idea is to fix a temporary maximum at a figure below the number which will be\needed to work the wharves and gradually fill the ranks from those offering in tho city. In a few days, how-' ever, there will be a dearth of vacancies. Last night it was stated ; that the Arbitration Union had a membership of 750. Thero is a growing impression that there may bo something m tho nature of a rush for enrolment in tho new union very shortly. The progress of the now body is regarded as helping to expose the wild statements of the strike leaders, and there are signs that the men pn striko are slowly realising that the position is very different from what their leaders have persuaded them to believe.