DOINGS AT DUNEDIN.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1914, 24 November 1913, Page 6

DOINGS AT DUNEDIN.

CORIXXA GETS AWAY. FIRMS REDUCING BANDS. (By Telegraph.— Press Association.) Dunedin, Xovembor 23. Tho work of loading tho Oerinna Was started yesterday, and wag carried oh briskly, the- vessel taking in a largo quantity of genera! merchandise for tho north. She sailed in tho evening for iirnaru and Wellington, Four more men joined tho ranks of tho Arbitration' workers, enabling _ thrco hatches to be worked on the Oorinna,

Carting operations from- tho wharf were very brisk yesterday morning. .Quite a number of firms are reducing staffs, owing to tho slackness of trade, and Messrs. I'owley and Keast aro foreed to tlflso'dowit portion of their establishment for tho present. In. reference to a telegram concerning Jl-r. Donovan's remarkij regarding Mr. Belcher and t'ho ikninon's Union., Mr. Belcher said*. "I deplore perhaps more than anyone in Mew Zealand the wifortuiiato state of affairs that prevails in regard to tho seamen and waterside workers. The position is undoubted!}' a critical one, and all my efforts have been, in the direction of trying lo avert Mid allay the trouble now existing. It is perfectly truo that I, being amenable to majority rule; did sign tho conclusions arrived at by the seamen's representatives ill Wellington some time ago; it is net, however, tho intention, of tho seamen to fall, out amoligst themselves as to what procedure is to bo adopted in regard to their particular occupation, and I wisli to state that no matter what statements aro made by other persons with regard to myself, they will iiot, tuidor aiiy circujiistancses, inveigle mo into ptrsoilal controversy, nor provoke liio into a. discussion as to my cutics to my fellow seamen."

Tho Mayor of Port Chalmers and a number of business people met a number of strikers in tho Council Chambers, and discussed the position in inspect to the strike. Tlio strikers declined to do otbcT than the cxccutivo in Wellington dcemedibest for all eoncem-! od. Ono of those present, other than tho Strikers, wished t'lio meeting to ask the Primo Minister .to' steps to bring pressure oil both parties, with a view to bringing about 3 cessation of the present deadlock. _ Another 11011striker wishod tlio mooting to ask Mr. Massoy to tako steps to reform tho Arbitration Court. The Mayor* 'how-' over, thought it best not. to. take any active part in the struggle bcyolid coilfurring with tho strikers in respect to local conditions. A suggestion that tho town clcrk .take ft secret ballot <>i tlio union members oil strike as to- whether work should bo forthwith resumed was iiot seriouslv entertained by the strikers present. The meeting lasted over two hours and ascompKshed nothing. i At a meeting' of tho Seamen s Lmou yesterday it was docidcd to send a representative to Lyttalton' to watch tho interests «.f tho seamen there. •