A SIGNIFICANT INCIDENT.

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

A SIGNIFICANT INCIDENT.

SEQUEL TO A' BIT OF BLUFFING. One day last weak a citizen of Wellington, who served in one of the South African contingents, happened t\o meet an old comrade-in-arms who is now numbered amongst the waterside strikers, and stopped for a''korero" with him. As they conversed | two other strikers came up and joined' in the conversation. Naturally the talk contsred around the question" 'of the hour, and the strikers displayed the usual vehemence of their land in asserting that thoy "never, nov&r would bow clown" to the capitalist tyrant. Gtie of the party was especially emphatic, inter alia lie declared that the gaoling of tho leaders of tho strike -would only mean that new leaders would spring up to take their places; that the strikers were far from being at the end of their resources —for instance ©no "eookie" alone had promised them 600 head , of cattle to keep the lardor supplied; and tliera were other fairy tales of the -same description. But tho staple of his converse was that under no circumstances would he consent to go back to work under Arbitration —that the wharves and tho ships might be blown up and tho industry - sunk into oblivion before ho would resume work otherwise than under the "Red Fed." system—he'd quit Now Zealand rather than do . it. So passed scene 'No. 1.

Sceno 2 was enacted on tho wharf yesterday. It so happened that the citizen who had. ben witness to the striker's tows of hostility to arbitration was on duty at the wharf as a member of the force- of special constables. To his amazement he saw his friend of last wjsok march on the wharf and pass down towards the loading liners. Unable at first, to befevo. hiss eyes, lie ascertained at the gate that the man was provided with the wharf pass that is usual in tho ease of men prepared to sign on for work in the new Arbitration Union. To be more certain, he made further inquiries from the iiew union's officials, and ascertained that the mall really was enrolling with the workers. Interested ifl tho situation, the "special" sought ojlt the. new ■unionist, and l accosted him as to the change in his intentions" "Why," said the "special," ''from what you told me tho other day you. were one of the last men in Wellington that I would have expected, to see joining the new union. What about jour determination to sea the ships blown up, the .wharves _ Sent skv-high,' and thai sort of thing?" "Well," replied the_ man, sulkily, "what's the use -of going on when one sees himself beaten P When I Said that I reckoned that the- shearers were coming out, and they haven't. Anyhow, I'vo joined." Sure enough, that striker was busy amongst the workers during the day. Yet a fortnight ago he was conspicuous amongst the demonstrators . in the Smiare. It -would be interesting, to Isnow whether there 'is any more sincerity amongst tho other leaders than was shown by this man's -protestations and his subsoquent surrender.