DRIVERS CALLED OUT.

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

DRIVERS CALLED OUT.

B'C WORKS CLOSING DOWN,

MAM THROWN OUT OF EMPLOYMENT.

(By Telegraph,-Freta Association.)

ChrlstohuFch, November 23. W lien tho drivers belonging to tlio Canterbury Drivers' Union finish i-lieir last jab at 0110 o'clock this afternoon, they aro expccted by their union to do no mo.ro work till tho strike is sottled. Tho call-out applies to every member oftjio union, including tho City Council's drivers and the taxi-cab dnvers; There is soino doubt as to whether .it wilt be responded to with tlio unanimity that tho union officials expect. It is reported, for instance, that tho City 'Council ..drivers., or tho. majority of them, aro opposed to coming out. They inay be intimidated into doing so, by the fear of reprisals fro'ju their fellow-members., • Tho consequence 1 p ?'' l ' n ß, out would lie' sUriiitis to tho health of t)io city., Several employers have received, assurances from their drivers that they .do .not intend to respond to tho Union's call. Monday Ivill show their value. Almost every business in towii \vould bo affected bv tile drivers stopping- work. The secretary of the Drivers' Union whilst admitting that the union hits 110. jlower over private carriers is of opinion that .many of them Will -.sympathise with its members.

Taxi-cab drivers who own their owu cars will continue to ply for liirc. Lite membership of the Canterbury Metercar and Horse Drivers' ana Livery Stable Employees' Union totals over 650. The drivers employed by tlio aerated "•atcr manufacturers aro net members or this union.' The drivers of coal cart and those employed in the timber yards are members of the Canterbury Timber Yards, Sawmills, and Ooalyard Employees' Union, and aro also not affected by the call.

With regard to tho cartage of shirs' cargo it is understood that arr.ri. •- ments havo been niado to deal whatever comes through from iho poit." , Coiip.ciilor H, J. Qtloy, Khairinnn of tho \\ orks and Sanitary Committee of the. City Council, asked what the effect Would bo if the City Councils drivers go on strike, said: "It will stop all tho council's work. The labourers Will have to stop and the sanitary work will bo left undone." It is .understood that there was a meeting of the council's drivers this morning at which several expressed themselves as opposed to tho strike. Work on the Wharves. . _ Tho big tramp steamer Northern finished discharging her Lyttelton cargo at ' o p.m. -u Saturday., and sailed for Dunodin. Tho Defender, which tho strikers are loading with food for Westport, will not sail till Monday, as part of hor cargo is not yet to hand,. It is . understood that the S'triko Committee lias arranged to got-, coal for her from the old steamer Mullough, which has boon laid iip at iho ■ pori* for many months, and has still 1 .some Coal aboard. Tho Defender herself has still a small quantity of coal on board., and with ' favourable weather could liavo got round to Wes'tpoi\t o.ii it without bunkering here, but the captain says, .thai she ■needs 18 tons;'t.o nil her bunkers. Tho Strike Committee received to-day the , following telegram from tho Hon. W. H. Ilorrics, Minister of Railways:— "Your telegram re coal for the Defender has been received. I regret extremely that I cannot comply with your request, as all ayailablo Coal is'required'for 'raft Way and Government purposes/'

1 Works Closing Down, To-day tlio foundries and implement works of Messrs. P. and 1). Duncan and of Messrs. Uootli. Mac Donald, and Co. closed down, ami over tlirco hundred moii have been in coiuequenco thrown out of employment. The following notice was posted at Messrs. P. and D. Duncan's foundry yesterday"Tho management regret that owing to tho directors' office staff and some of' the foremen being'sworn .in as special constables, tho works will bo closed from 11.45 a.m. to-morrow xint.il further notice,'*' Dated November 21. Mr, W. lveir, tho .managing director of tho finn, in explanation of this notice, told a reporter this morning that a meeting of employees was held, and they wero askod.'if *24. of the rank and file would volimtcer as special constables so that tlio directors' office .staff and foremen, who hod been sworn in could remain 011 duty at tho office, and thus permit tho works /being kept going. , The .response to this request was not sufficient.. • 111 ..accordance with the notice ®

tho works closed down to-day. Tho men left quietly, and there 'was no demonstration. About, two hundred men are affected. Tho Carlylo implement works closed down to-day, and hetwoen 120 and 130 men liavo been affected.. Asked for the reason for this step, Mr. Booth said that orders had stopped, and there was 110 work for t'jic fneh consequently, and very reluctantly they had been compelled to close down temporarily. Thoro is a fairly large quantity of Roods awaiting shipment, but which the firm has been unablo to ship owing to tho port being closed.' Mr, Georgo Scott .stated to a reporter thitt tho moulding ; stiop at the Atlas Foundry had been closed down. "Wo aro going to keep tho range-fitting and hoi.le.r shops going as long as- wo can get goods away, Mr. Scott, added. "If carting is stopped: it will, undoubtedly mean that tho works will bo completely closed down."

Messrs. Hayward and Co.'s pickle.factory closed down- for an indefinite period to-day, forty jnen audi, women being affected. Tws timo of tlio year is one of tho firm's busy seasons, and is known as the. "selling season." Owing to stocks lieing held up in Auckland and Wellington, tho firm lias found it impossible to go on. Tho employees, it is stated, nrft not Rod !Feds,

Early this morning and also at noon Mr. H'; W, Bishop, S.M.. swore in two large batches of special- constables, many of whom .already proofeoded :to tbo camp at- Addington. llanv.pro- . feisioilal meai are offering their £crv<ri&s. Some of tilts "spocials" were working men who came in their 'Working clothes, though the majority were young fellows employed in offices' in town. Misleading Statements Corrected. The Hon. .Tohii Barr, M.L.C., who arrived from Wellington this morning., ■in rOp'ly to a reporter, stated 'that tho mislojiil'iflg state'iW.ifts nvad.o in certain tiflar'ters regarding the sisto o.f affairs in Wellington was largely responsible for matters assuming tbe aspect they have done ill Ohlistclnirch. "Yoi-ter-dsy," continued Sir. Barr. ".Tofvoin Qua.y, We'lliftjttou, wa,s particularly busy as wore also the wharVb's. Indeed, the . part had taken on liviicli llio same appearance as it possesses in iwrtnal ■eo'iv- ! difions.' Steamers, including small coastal steamers, were unloading, and eo.a'l and other cargo was/bo'i-ng re.nioved in different kinds of vehicles,''