EVERY BERTH OCCUPIED.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1916, 26 November 1913, Page 9

EVERY BERTH OCCUPIED.

TRAMS READY TO RUN, COAL SUPPLIES FOR INDUSTRIES. (By Telocraph—l'roas Association.! Auckland, November 25. A heavy downpour <?f rain this morning hindered work on tho waterfront, anil shortly after 10 a.m. it was decided to cease all 'cargo handling operations till tho afternoon. The weather cleared alter tho lunch hour, and loading and discharging operations "were resumed with renewed vigour. In tho early hours of the morning tho big liner Tokomaru. was brought from tlie stream and berthed at tho Queen's Wharf to discharge 600 tons of cargo .from' Montreal. This work is expected to be completed by to-morrow afternoon when the vessel will sail for Wellington, Lyttelton, and Dunedin toiput out tho balance of her cargo. Tho steamer Clan Sutherland was berthed at the King's Wharf early this morning io commenco the discharge of her 3500 tons of coal from Newcastle.

Every available berth oil tho Auckland waterfront is now occupied, and but for the presence of the mounted and foot, "specials" thero was nothing to indicate that the strike was still in existence. Splendid progress is still being made with tlio discharge of London cargo from the-liners Jluritai and Tongariro, and it is expected that- tlio Muritai will got away to-morrow evening or early on Thursday, morning for Napier and Wellington. The: Tongariro will probably sail about the end of the week • for. Wellington and Nelson. There was marked activity in the working of colliers to-day, there being six vessels discharging coal-cargoes. A largo quantity of coal discharged from the Koniata and tlio Kakanoa was carted tf> the gasworks and Tramway Company's power house, and many other large business establishments. I'ho only steamer at present at anchor in tlio stream waiting for a berth with general cargo is tlio Fcderal-Shiro Line's chartered steamer Kaipara. She has 2500 tons for Auckland and will probably bo berthed on Friday, Trams Ready to Start. Mr. J. J. Walklatc, seen by a "Star" representative, said .that it. was intended to resume, tho tram. service torinorrow. Road men and track cleaners would be at work this afternoon. Coal was being got in as speedily as possible although operations in this direction had been considerably interfered with by tho heavy rain which fell this morning. It was hoped, however, that tlio supplies procured would be sufficient to enable the service to be resumed to-morrow morning; A complete service would bo nlh with tho exception that cars would not enter Queen Street. This was.being done' at the request of tlio'.authorities. Questioned concerning the outlook in regard to tho coal supply Mr. Walldato said that tho company had 1300 tons of coal in tho harbour and he'anticipated that they would be ablo to keep,up the necessary supplies.';' Hew Seamen's Union Strong. "Tho membership of tho new Seamen's Union at dinner time to-day was 145, and applicants are still coming in," stated Mr. S. Olney, vice-president ; of the. new union, this'afternoon. "We want it to be known,',' ho continued, "that every man is a determined Arbitratioiiist, and that 'we intend to keep the other follows out if we can. It has been said that- wo fiavo mado a levy to help those ,who ari>. o,ut,',|),ut,.,tha,t )l is not true. • We will iiaivo noiliing to, do with them." Concerning tho formation of, the ;new union, Mr.. Olney stated that'the men. ,w;ho.'. havo joined. so far. were all Auckland men and they, all had practical knowledge of sea-going. Most of them wero men who had been A.B.'s and firemen, and had been, away from the sea for some tiino on labouring and • farming jobs ashore. Those who .wero taken'bn for work below dock had to show' a three, months' trimmers', discharge.' That was a rulo'of the sea, arid no difficulty was experienced in getting such men. : Bricklayers Tired of Strike. The effective of tho strike may be said to havo ceased to-day with tho decision or' the Bricklayers to return to . work. A secret ballot was, taken, and the union decided, by ,84 votes to 32, to return to work to-morrow. Tho union resolved to make a levy of 5 per cent, on married men and 7i per cent, on single men for tho stnko fund. Tho ctnke'is really now being carried.on by men who havo lost their jobs, and a few "dip-hards" who aro courting some risk. Not ono of the normal activities of Auckland is now prevented by tho strike, and though a few businesses aro still'a little inconveniencpd, this-olfect also will pass within a few days. It is sal'o to say that tlio strike is .now being felt more in tho country,' owing to the withdrawal of so many men for polico duty, than in tho City. Auckland Strike/Well Broken. The strike is'now'practically confinocl , to watersiders, seamen, and carters, and its i utility will bo apparent from the following facts:—As many men aro employed on the wharves as before tho strike; jio difficulty is experienced in getting all tho crews required; the number of carters available is proving sufficient, and regular carters who do not; return within a few days will find their places filled; brewery employees, general labourers, and carters are still drifting back to work, and it is significant that oven the carters, labourers, and watcrsido workers havo been refused work because thero was nono for them. Over 100 members of tho old V aterside Workers' Onion applied for work on tlio wharves to-day, and " expressed their willingness to. join the new union, but thero was no work lor them. The strike is now confined to the following:—2so catrers, 100 general labourers, 1)00 watersiders (whose places have been filled), 100 hotel workers (whoso places, havo been hied), 100-Harbour Board men (whoso places have been filled), and a number or seamen. Perniansnt Dafenos Measures, flio Citizens' Uelence Committee lias decided that when the special foot constables aro diybauded it will koep a perlndiient legister containing tho names of 500 men who aro willing to serve at a day's notice to preservo law anci order in the community should the occasion arise. It was pointed out by tho committee's officials that tho Auckland wharves were "tied up" for ten days' by tile action of unruly strike pickets, the regular polico seemingly being powerless to maintain order oil the waterfront. The organisation of a reserve forec of citizens of tlio kind proposed was reported as being actively taken up by tlio specials now on duty with the greatest enthusiasm. It hat also been decided to keep the Citizens' Defence Committee going as a permanent institution. Ilegular officers, liavt been elected, and the committee' lias in hand a fund of over £2000. On behalf of I lie committee it is explained that it is in no way antagonistic t( labour. It will remain in existence merely- for the purpose, shonfd nceasior arise, of assisting the regular constatilary. The events of the past few weeks, the committee considers, ban demonstrated tlio faefc that such ai organisation is needed. "CENERAL STRIKE IS DEAD." SECTIONAL EFFORT DOOMED. (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent. l Auckland, November 25. "The general strike is de*l,'' rc marked the Mayor, wlieu setux by a x"

presentativc of the Auckland "Star" to-day. "Auckland's experience luis proved conclusively that as soon as the general public, with courage and quiet determination, clccido to organise for self-protection, a general strike must collapse. It is safo to say that thero will not bo another general strike in New Zealand, for a long time to come. We have paid the price here for an experience that will not bo lost upon the whole of' Australasia. Iho combined action of the citizens of Auckland has given an object lesson of tho utter futility of the sympathetic strike, and one that the workers themselves cannot help hut- remember. Tho lesson will not, 1 feel sure, be lost upon people in other countries. "Wo aro now told that wo pro to have a sectional strike, but this sectional strike is also doomed to failure. The Strike Committee has decided to hold up all transport, but what is tho actual position? As regards tho wharves the strike is over, for 1000 new unionists aro busy handling all the there. The employers say they will" keep their word. I have not tho slightest doubt, much as wc may all regret it, that this means that thero is now no job for "the groat bulk of the waterside workers who aro out 011

strike. "As regards the carters I would put it to them of what uso is it for 300 to stand out for tlio purpose of aiding tlie waterside workers seeing that tho work 011 the wharves is already being carried out by the members of tho new union? Besides that, what good is any carter doing by stopping out 011 strike when his own. job is getting further from liini every day-? If the sympathiser with tho watersido workers is also to lose his own employment, surely it is .foolish in tho extreme to continue out. 0110. thing is certain—that the wharf service and also the carrying trade is going on almost as if thero was 110 strike. The employers claim that they are now quite independent of tlio two old .unions, and that tliey can keep things going with the staff now available. Therefore, for all practical purposes tho strike is at <111 end. I wish to put those few facts before tho strikers themselves. SOlllO of tho unions may, out of a spirit of loyalty, decide to contribute money, but to what end? What will bo tlio uso of keeping 1,000 men in idleness, waiting for jobs which other men are filling? What good can come of it?"