THE SETTLING DOWN PROCESS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1944, 30 December 1913, Page 4

THE SETTLING DOWN PROCESS.

The rank aiicl file of the strikers appear to have taken the collapse of the strike more or less philosophically, and have shown considerable eagerness to get back to their jobs, Naturally there is a good deal of resentment felt over the manner in which they were fooled by their leaders; who, had they possessed any judgment at all, would, have permitted the men to go back to work weeks ago, when the employers offered reasonable terms. The Arhitrationists and the Fedorationists, however, seem to have got on fairly well together sinco tho cessation of hostilities, despite the fact that in one or two instances an irreconcilable element amongst the "Bed Flaggers" has sought to cause trouble. In the interests of all parties, this troublesome scction should be sternly suppressed. A complaint reached us a day or two ago that- certain Red Fcdcrationists had received , preference over Arbitrationists in the matter of employment on the wharf but an investigation of the story proved to be unfounded. ■ The employers of wharf labour are quite properly standing by those who stood by them and the community generally in the fcims of trouble, and will no doubt continue to do so. It now seems that the Strike Committee had the handling of some £5000 during the period over which the strike was spread, and a good deal of curiosity appears to be experienced as to how the money was disposed of. Very few of the strikers received in cash, the assistance rendered being in most cases .in the way of food and clothing. An audit of tho accounts of the Strike Committee is being made, but what is_ perhaps more urgently required' is a scrutiny of how the groceries and other goods were disposed of. A rather curious story is told by a local auctioneer who was called in to Sell up the furniture in a certain house in the City. When taking an inventory of the contents of the building he or his assistant found numerous unopened packages containing bread . and groceries, evidently collected from the Strike Committee which was supplying foodstuffs to strikers, it would seem that several strikers frequented the house in question, and the fact that the parcels of food which they had secured were found unopened would seem to indicate that they had been supplied to persons who did not require them. -How much waste of this kind went on it is in all probability impossible to discover, but it is fairly apparent that the Strike- Committee was not particularly vigilant or _ wellinformed concerning its beneficiaries. The financial, like other departments of the strike, was no doubt well muddled. The miners, tha last of the strikers to resist the back-to-work movement, appear to have reached a reasonable frame of mind. They show signs of a readiness to make a virtue of necessity, and to register under the Arbitration Act. This is satisfactory enough, but they will be very ill-advised if they attempt to saddle their acquiescence in this step with any further conditions. . Registration under the Arbitration Act will afford thorn all the protection they need from tho mineowners, and if they arc wise enough to avail themselves of it, they should find it also a 'useful bulwark against the , machinations of tho strifemongers of the Red Federation itself.