The Labor Difficulty.

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 39, 16 September 1890, Page 2

The Labor Difficulty.

I PER UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION. I London, September 14 Sprow, the local organiser of the Southampton strike, has been arrested on- a charge of intimidation. The action of the authorities has caused some excitement. A hitch has arisen over the settlement of the strike. Seamen and firemen having been granted an increase the donkeymen and trimmers also demand a rise. The employers refuse and threaten not to allow the dockers to return unless their demands are withdrawn. Sydney, September 13. The representatives of the men on strike state that they are perfectly willing to meet the employers, and are fully prepared to forego a portion of their demands,, but say h is absolutely necessary that the owners agree to the fundamental principle of Unionism that only Union men be employed, and that the Officers Association be allowed to use their own discretion on the advisableness of affiliating with other labour bodies. The Committee were unable to agree on the question of the' non- Union shearers, but it is understood that if the employers will consent to recognise Trade Unionism in its entirety the members of the latter are prepared to sign an agreement that no demands will be made for a long period. The Labour Defence Committee are considering the manifesto recently issued by the employers. Davis, of the Seamehs Union states that the manifesto shows clearly that the prime object of the employers is to crush Trades Unionism in all its forms. The total contributions to the strike fund so far amounts to £5300. September 14 The Labour Defence Committee . has called put the trolfy and draymen, and it expected that fully 1000 will be on strike to-morrow. The men had decided on their own account to demand that wages should be raised from 40s to 45s per week, according to the number of horses they drove, and that 12 hours be a day's work. They also stipulated that meal hours were to be included in the 12 hours, and that they should knock off at 3 o'clock on Saturday afternoons. The Broken Hill miners and owners will hold a conference in Melbourne at an early date. As the stake is the outcome of the maritime difficulty it is understood' that representatives of both sides from- all parts of the colonies interested will be invited to attend, with a view of arranging a general settlement of the labour struggle. September 15. . With regard to the proposed conference with delegates to the Labor Conference, individual owners regret that the letter proposing the meeting was not sent before the Intercolonial Employers' Conference had concluded its sittings. Sydney employers are unable therefore to appoint a delegation to represent the whole of the employers. Newcastle September 14. Owing to free labour working the cranes the Jubilee and other Unionist steamers have had to load coal in wheelbarrows and baskets. Nineteen of the crew of the steamer Santon have been arrested for refusing to shovel a small quantity of coal from the top of the hatchways so that the hatches might be put^on. Auckland, September 13. The Auckland Trades and Labour Council express sympathy with Pastor Birch in what they term his sufferings on their behalf, and thank him for his manly and generous support to their cause. ' The cabinetmakers and upholsterers have formed a Union. September 14. When the steamer Richmond arrived on Saturday from her usual Island trip, a number of Union lumpers had just commenced the work of discharging when they were called out by the secretary of the Wharf Labourers' Union, under instructions from the Maritime Council, and accordingly they left work. The steamer has a Union crew, and they were ordered to discharge the vessel, but gave 24 hours' notice of their intention to strike in obedience to the secretary of the Seamen's Union, and though they worked the whole of Saturday, they will probably come out on Monday. It is; alleged that the owners of the Richmond, Messrs Donald and Edenborough, supported the Union Steam Ship Company by giving them coal, and hence the strike. Wellington, September 14. On Saturday afternoon the numbers of the special constables were augmented by oyer 80, and the total number will thus be brought up to about 420. The demonstration on the Wharf on Saturday afternoon was a larger one than on tbe previous day. The crowd of spectators was a large one, but considerably less than on Friday. There was nothing in the shape of bad behaviour, and the whole proceedings, except for the feeling manifested on behalf of the special constables, were exceedingly quiet. Strike pay was distributed to the Union men who are out at the Exchange Buildings on Saturday. The pay was only in money in a few cases, and some men who got small sums— averaging about five shillings — expressed discontent thereat. For the most part, however, the . strikers were given orders— the ! married men and expressmen — on the Union store in Parish street for rations and horse feed, and the single men for board and lodging. The work of loading and discharging the Wakatu on Saturday was earned on by several clerks in Messrs Levin and Co.'s office and non-Unionists, and she got away fox Foxton during the evening. September 15. The boilermaker's at another meeting almost unanimously resolved io adhere to the determination not to work for the Union Company. The crew of the Kennedy were called out to-day in the belief that she was going to supply coal to the Star of Victoria. The latter requires 850 tons, which she expects to get from the Boyley due from Newcastle to-night. Jerrard is slightly better this morning and has partly recovered consciousness. The young mau Jerrard, who sustained serious injuries through falling down the hold of the steamer Australia at Wellington, partially recovered consciousness yesterday. He, however, is still in a very critical state. DuNBDtN, September 13. At a demonstration of striker* and Unionists the speakers charged the Railway Commissioners with assisting the Union Company in eyery way, and it wag said that on the strength of possessing a visiting card of the Union Company's agent, Captain Fearse's men were allowed to travel free on the railways to take employment with tho Union Company. Mr Millar stated that there was no intention to call out the railway servants at present. The labour party would choose their own time for doing that. The Commissioners,. he asserted, had laid a trap for them with a view of causing a strike and diverting attention from the present struggle.-. He hoped next week to be able to lay before the public fall details of -what * fas intended by the

Commissioners, and he believed it would open people's eyes. ' Tihartt, Sepl ember 14. A bit of a. row took place here last eyeniug among the Unionists and others. A number of men, passengers on the Oinapere, were mistaken for free labourers aud were assaulted by Paget, a Timaru. Unionist, and three sailors of the Alert. The Unionist and three sailors were awested. Oiie passenger got rather severely handled, and another Unionist, a delegate from Oamaru, was roughly treated. Three business men of town wore also grossly insulted on the Breakwater. Bail was refused the four men arrested. . Chbistchubch, September 14. This afternoon a alight disturbance occurred in front of the Metropolitan Hotel between non-Umonsts and Union sympathisers. It is doubtful -how the row began, but it appears the two parties were bandying words, and one of each side got into a fight. The police came up and arrested threo Union sympathisers, named Murphy, Quinn, and Daly. No one was hurt. ..