GENERAL STRIKE NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1910, 19 November 1913, Page 9

GENERAL STRIKE NOTES.

COAL SUPPLY; A DEFINITE STATEMENT. j Coal is tlio topic of tho hour. On all sides the • question is l being asked as to whether the city/s coal supply can bo maintained. The Citizens' Defence Committee has a satisfactory answer to tho question. Necessary arrangements have been made, and the committee is no-v in a position to Fstate definitely that it can prevent anything serious happening in connection with the coal supply. Watching tho Athenlc. Evidonce of the widespread interest in the departure of the R.M.S. Athenio was to bo seen in all parts of the city yesterday. People walking along. Vivian Street and Courtenay Place in tho afternoon, would almost invariably pause at the crossings of Tory Street and Tnranaki Street and look harbourwards for a sign of the vessel's masts. About three o'clock figures could be noted on the roofs of several high buildings waiting to witness the event of the day. In Oriental Bay faces were' at every window, and numerous telescopes and field glasses were lovellml at the liner as she forged lior way down the harbour., Strength of "Specials." During the past week the numerical strength of the mounted "spocials" has been considerably reduced. At one stage during the trouble there werc'lo3o men at th 9 Buckle Street barrscka, but owiflir to thm trainiiw tha »»». have turner-

gone, the authorities have deemed it advishblo to reduce tho number gradually, and at present there are only about 650 men in barrack;. As evidence of the increased sense of security given to the city by tho presence of these men, only one squadron (100 men) was detailed for wharf duty yesterday. A few small troops were engaged in policing tho streets, and the remainder remained in barracks, ready to mount at a moment's iiotico should the- occasion arise. Tho simplo bedding of plain straw as night couches for the men in barracks has been improved upon this week by the substitution of stow mattresses, which, if not the softest of bods, at least provide a substantial pad between the sleeper and tho floor.

Attempt to Patch Up. The conference which was held in the Conciliation Commissioner's office on Monday afternoon to discuss the strike situation from- the employees' point of view is to be resumed at 10 o'clock this morning. Watersidors' Roll Call, Yesterday morning tho Waterside Workers' Union again called tho roll, and from the point of view of the Strike Committee it was considered very satis* factory. It was reported that very few members were unaccounted for. Grateful Specials. A well-known W r a.hrarapa farmer, who has been in Wellington acting as a special constable for the past threo weeks, and who has taken a prominent part in organising specials to cflnie to Wellington, stated yesterday that the men from the country were particularly desirous of thanking the City people for their kindness. The citizens, he said, had been very kind in. every way —they had given them concerts, provided them with green feed for their horses, and the women had regularly furnished tho men with eatables. One resident of the Hutt had' had grass for the horses cut and carted into the City every day.-

The Drivers. Following up the usual practice of the last few days, the Drivers' Union (original body) held.a meeting in St. Peter's Schoolroom yesterday morning, when the proceedings took de-form-of a concert for the entertainment of members. "Nothing Worth striking for." Owing to the fact that the Duned-in waterside workers carried their decision to join the New Zealand Federation by a majority of only three votes,- there has always been a strong minority hostile more or less to the Federation's methods, and as that minority forms a very important factor at the present moment, it is anticipat.ed-by the "Otago Daily Times" that tho position will aeon be entirely dominated by the more moderate section of the men. Amongst tho latter are quito a number who have denounced'the strike and the leaders' tactics all along, and it is a well-known fact that they have repeatedly urged their mates'to resume' work under the Arbitration and' Conciliation Act, bocause "thero was nothing worth striking for to begin with'." These men have held somewhat aloof .since tho strike was declared, but their influence, has considerably calmed' the local atmosphere. Despite the assertions of a- few extremists, many of the men admit that they have no grievance whatever, and their present attitude is admittedly a case of "stand at ease," by command from' Wellington, and it now rests 'with tho malcontents to'de'eido- whether they, intend to resumo work or stand by and permit outsiders to come in and displace them altogether. New Drivers.' Union. Between 80 and 90 members of tho new Drivers' Union were'at work yesterday.- ■ t -' ''■■' '■■- '■■'■- "'' -■"• '