INCIDENTS OF THE STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1911, 20 November 1913, Page 6

INCIDENTS OF THE STRIKE.

-*— •—--- — ■ Apart from the recurrence of acts of violence and street disorders, tho happenings of yesterday in connection with the- strike were all of a ' satisfactory nature. The workiijg of cargo and tho running of steamers both show further improvement here and elsewhere. Nearly 1000 members have now heen enrolled on the books of the now Arbitration TJnion, and it is difficult at the moment to find full employment for- the whole of them. Yesterday some twenty steamers were lying at tho wharves • and being worked. Tho closing of the hotels of tho city yesterday was a step which has met with very general approval. Some of the hotels which eater for the waterside workers,arid others of that class have not exercised any appreciable care as to the quantity of liquor they have supplied, and there has been a good deal of drunkenness noticeable, The hotclkeepers are not Mameable for the whole of this,_ but" some of the. street troubles which have occurred have no doubt been d«e in a measure to recklessness caused by a too free indulgence in liquor. Those goodnatured people who have carelessly dropped a silver coin into tho collecting boxes of the energetic persons who are begging money for the strike funds do not perhaps appreciate the fact that thoy are "standing treat" for some- of the able-bodied idlers who- not only refuse to work themselves, but object to others doing so, A correspondent, who states that he has been behintt the scenes, informs us that strikers ate given coupone entitling them .to three meals. Some of the more thirsty dispose of these coupons or tickets—three for a shibling—and sink the, proceeds in the particular form of beverage they may prefer. t It is one thing to drop sixpence- in the box in the belief that it may assist a hungry woman or child; it is quite another to know that it may be diverted and provide a pint of beer for a striker who is attempting to paralyse the businessof the whole country and. injuring every class of the community. Tho coal shortage bogy with which the Federation of Labour thought to frighten the public into submission has now been shown to be as-other false alarm. Provision has already, been made to meet requirements from sources ■■outside New Zealand, and several cargoes are npw on their way here. We would again suggest to the Government that an Act 'should be passed providing a special penalty to meet cases of intimidation, It is the duty of the State to provide adequate protection for men who wish to work, and to ensure this a Penalty which would defer anyone from attempting to intimidate another desirous of working should be provided. If this were done, the strike would crumble much more rapidly than it is now doing, and would save the strikers from their own follv, as well as saving tho community from further- loss and inconvenience. .