THE UNLOCKING OF THE PORT

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

THE UNLOCKING OF THE PORT

TWENTY BOATS WORK. THE AFFILIATION OF NEW UNION. membership OF 750. THEIR HOUSE BOAT BROUGHT IN. \ Over twenty vessels were at the bertha at times yesterday, _ Among these was -a noticeablo hiereaso in tho licet of-coast freighters. Wool for shipment ivas 4ump«d into J Shed, while operations on tho oversea boats also boomed along. The loading of the Athcnic practically finished last night..and! she will leave port for London at 3 p.m. to-day. Expectations iwo that the Dorset will finish unloading to-morrow, and the R-iimitaka will, it is anticipated, be also able to leave for Lyttolton during tho day. The Wellington portion of her London cargo is to be put on board' to-dav. Before proceeding Homo tho vessel will return to Wellington to lift whatever London loading may await "her. Coastal services have now been largely rehabilitated. New Union Membership 750. Accessions to the membership of tl?e new Waterside Workers' Union are entered on the books daily. At 5 p.m. yesterday the total membership had risen to 7SQ. During the day 80 new men signed on, and these included 19 of the original strikers. The total number of strikers who- have actually resumed work on the waterfront is officially stated ta ho 47. Mr. W. 0. Long, the secretary of.the new union, has received a loter from Mr. Goo. M'Kay, secretary of the New Zealand Waterside Workers' Federation, Wangaimi. The letter is dated November IS, and reads 56 follows

I sM instructed by my Federation to inform you that the affilia- ' t-ion of your union to the Waterside Federation of New Zealand will be completed oil receipt of tho union's undertaking to comply, with the rules and regulations of.tho PederatioiV such Undertaking'' to be in writing, and signed by the president and secretary. . , .1 have_ to apologise for delay in answering your application, and inform yoii that tho reason for same was to enable we to arrange for a full meeting of our executive for a eon> ferr-nco of unions. . A full nieetinn of the executive was held yester- , day, and the action of the president aisd myself m inviting your union to affiliate with tho Federation was unanimously endorsed. We trust that before long our Federation will be back in the position it crnee held some two years_ ago. that- is a. Federation comprising all the- Waterside workers' unions in Now Zealand, With best wishes and anticipating ii favourable reply, ■ (Signed) GEO. M'KAY,

As telegraphic communications had been the only correspondence between the new Arbitratioiiist Union and tho Waterside Federation prior to the above letter being received, the Wellington executive held a meeting yesterday, the result of which was that the following reply was directed to bo forwarded to Mr. Sl'Kay:— lii reply to your favour of November IS, please accept'this signed undertaking of our union'to comply with the rnlfts <jf the Now Zealand Waterside Workers' Federation, and oar acknowledgment of the Federation's acceptance of our application. With ,best -wishes to all ■unions comprising tho Watnrsido Workers' Ffid'crat-i-on. —(Signed) W. I. Shnndly, President; W. 0. Long, Secretary. - Any doubt concerning the validity of tho action, of the New Zealand Federa-tion's-secretary in inviting the Wellington Union 'to "join is now removed. Athenlc Hoists Blue Poter. What some term "thfe event of the 1913 strike" will take place at 3' p.m. to-dav when the Phaw-Savi!l liner Athenic,'loaded by farmers with farmers' produce, will leave Wellington for London, Loading operations- practically ended last evening.' At that- time there was not a crate of cheese or box df butter left in S shed on the 'Glasgow Wharf. Yesterday afternoon the steamer was drawing 38ft. fin, forward and 29ft. Win. aft. Members of the vessel's crew and the Arbitratioiiist workers seem to have done their part well, and on. all sides yesterday .-commendatory expressions regarding them were- heard. ; Precautions are being taken to prohibit I any hostile demonstration 011 the Glasj gow Wharf when the vessel sails today. Shore leave for those on board wits stopped last evening. Passengers will ■obtain access to the ship by presenta- ; t.ion of flieir passage warrants, butpasses for friends will not be issued. •

Clearing Congested Sheds. Generally speaking work hummed: merrily on at the waterfront yesterday. Dozens of laden carts were moving to and fro. Coastal and oversea steamers ■were working at high pressure, and tho coal hulks were naturally kept busy. Overtime on some of the steamers was worked last night and several of tho Harbour Board's sheds remained open in consequence. The congestion of cargo in the sheds oil the King's Wharf has now been much reduced. Practically all goods consigned to Wellington have been removed and transhipments only remain. These' include fruit, onions, etc., ex the Willoohra for Auckland, New Plymouth, Ohristehui'eh, and Dunedin. It is hoped to dispatch this cargo during the course of the next day or two. The Union Company's Ka.ia.poi shifts over from No, 14 Jervois Quay to the King's Wharf No. 2 this morning, and sho will leave this evening with transhipments ex Willochra; and Rinmtnka for New Plymouth. On her return to Wellington' about Thurso day next she will load for southern ports. Auckland transhipment swill be sent forward by the- Kittawa, either tomorrow on (Thursday.

No oversea boat worked at the. King's Wharf yesterday. The Kimntafca, which has got through her- output, berthed at the Glasgow Wharf to ship London freightage. To-dav is likely to see extended activities. • In addition to the Aihenic, Himutaka, Dorset, Kaiapoi, •. Marere, Pateena, several coastal stetimers will again work cargo. Tlio Wairuna, with Newcastle coal, will put alongside the Railway Wharf to discharge;. tho ICittawa berths at tit© King's Wharf to . load ■ the Coriivthio will commence discharging London cargo at No. 1 south; and the Remuera (from London) will como alongside the King's Wharfj No. 3, about 1 p.m. It is likely that the last-mentioned will begin putting her inward cargo ashore to-morrow. Labour will have to he. found for the Kaitea, Nikau, and Moa also. \ ' Barriers Re-erccted. It will bo' remembered that the strikers wrecked a barrier on the wharf near the Harbour Board's J shed on two occasions during the first two or three days of the strike. Yesterday workmen were engaged in erect* iite a" third barrier, much stronger than its predecessors. The, opinion is held that this present structure will take some breaking down tho nest time it is attacked. It appears, however, that there is not going to bo any "next The regular service between Welllng- ■ ton, Picton, and Nelson has been rc- ■ stimeri'. Tho Mapourika left 'port last evening with over 130 passengers and t some 2$ racehorses. Tito horses worn I led, or riddea. through thu streets to

the Post Office Square and oft to tho wharf without any trouble. Workers' "House-boat" Pulls In. It is reported that the 19 strikers who returned to work yesterday morning wore called by tile usual epithet by their late comratl.cs they did not attend tho roll-call meeting of tho oid union yesterday. Sight of tho men who signed on tlio books of the new union declared themselves to bo ex.strikers, and t.hey appeared to bo just as desirous for work as tho now Arbitratiomsts. "Tho prido of tlio Union Company's fleet," as she has often been termed— tho Mararoa —eaino in from tho stream about 7.30 p.m. yesterday and berthed alongside tho Queen's Wharf. ' For the past two weeks the Arbitration workers who have beeii in tho habit of living on board havo iiacl to be to their "homo" by tho Union Company's tenders. The times and conditions, however, are rapidly changing, and it has now been decided to Tieep the Mararoa alongside thft Wharf. Last evening 231 men were accommodated on board.