FACING THE REALITY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1931, 13 December 1913, Page 6

FACING THE REALITY.

FEDERATION'S CONCLAVE.

STOP STRIKE OR NOT?

'After being in conference all day yesterday tho meeting of delegates from unions now on strike adjourned till this morniug. The conference was convened by tho United Federation of Labour, niid included seamen representatives. Pending a final decision, no information is to bo officially mado public. Tho conference resumes its deliberations to-day. It is understood that conditional proposals have been decided upon. If tho seamen decida to go back to work it is stated that tho Federation of Labour will seriously consider the question of "allowing" tho transport- workers to resume. Tho strike will then bo confined only to tho miners. A meeting of seamen's delegates from Dnnedin, Wellington, and Auckland was held hero Inst evening. ■ During tho day it was persistently rumoured that tho seamen who arc on strike in Wellington were desirous that a ballot should bo taken 011 tho- proposal to resume work. No official intimation was mado, but it, is understood that a ballot will be taken to-day, and those in a position to know state that there is a probability that tho decision will he in favour of restarting. If tho seamen go back it is practically ccrta-in that tho old Waterside Union will'follow.

On 3 of the Strike Dcviccs. A considerable numbor of seamen and firemen have applied for positions on various steamers duriug tho last two or three days. When asked to produce their discharges tlicy havo usually replied that -their papers aro in tho bauds of tho union officials, who havo refused to give them up to • their rightful owners. Tho result is that, if a man cannot produce his discharge, lie is not allowed to sign oil a vessel's articles. It has been suggested that-, to get- over this difficulty, tho question of issuing "permits" to the men whoso discharges have boon taken from them by _ union- officials, should be considered. Tills can bo done if tho men make a declaration before a Justice of tho Peace and afterward, action can be taken against the union officials for illegally withholding tho discharges. It is stated on good authorit)', says our Napier correspondent, that tho soamon now on strike will resume work to-day*

Seamen Likely to Go Bach. Thero is believed to bo a strong likelihood of the seamen's strike being called off within a day or two. Many of tho seamen who aro out admit quite frankly that they have nothing to gain by continuing tho strike, and, while they object to going back to work before a general call is sounded, some of them, at least, are very eager that tho call should come. Another factor making for a restoration of peaco has to do with tho seamen's agreement which runs out early next year. It is reported that tho Union Company is willing to renew the agreement Tor a three-year term, and naturally tho fact is not unknown to the seamen. '

"MAKE BEST TERMS POSSIBLE;" CONCILIATION COMMISSIONER'S ADVICE. (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Napier, December 12.' In an interview last night Mr. P. Hally, Conciliation. Commissioner, said in regard to tho strike that the only thing that keeps men hack is loyalty to each other. '.'A number of them," he said, "have eomo to me and said they had had enough, and it is not any idea of winning the struggle that keeps them out. I think the leaders must recognise this. Those men do not express their feelings in public, but they will tell you and I how the position affects them. So far as the employers are concerned I am perfectly satisfied that they will not deviate from the stand thoy havo taken—tlmt is in relation to the Arbitration Act. The best advice

I can give to the men in Napier or any part of New Zealand, is to make tlic best' terms tlie.v possibly can. The indications are that the. men have already arrived at that conclusion, and in consequenco I anticipate that the strike will terminate within the next few hours. At any rate I expect the whole business to be satisfactorily arranged by the beginning of next week. The seamen, drivers, and others have done their utmost to carry out what they considered tho best, but tliero is a limit to the endurance of tho men and 1 am satisfied that tho limit has now been reached and they realise that nothing is 'to be gained by prolonging the struggle."