A DETERMINED FIGHT,

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2233, 3 July 1908, Page 2

A DETERMINED FIGHT,

MEN LIKELY TO BE BEATEN. [Si’kcial to “Times.”] WELLINGTON, July 2. It looks as if the linkers who went, out on strike the other day were going to be badly beaten. One of tlio biggest bakeries in the city'is rapidly getting into full working order, and nearly all the smaller bakeries are supplying their customers. Only sixteen more men are now required to put the masters in a satisfactory )K>sition to cope with all wants. The local secretary is replying to the Melbourne Master Bakers’ Association’s offer of machinery, stating that the local employers are satisfied with the improvement in the position, and hope that it may be unnecessary to avail themselves of the Australian brethren’s kindness, but if it is felt that use could, be found for the machinery they would cable for it. AN OPEN-AIR DEMONSTRATION. At noon, says tlio “Past," tho strikers took the banner of their union and rested it against tbo Queen's Statue near the Post Office. Mr. Tom Mann strode up on to tlio pedestal-, and addressed several huu-dreijj-men, who were curiously attracted to the spot. The apostle of “straight-out international cosmopolitan revolutionary socialism” exhorted tho waterside workers to refrain from handling flour consigned to members of the Master Balters’ Association. Tho men .would do tills tiling, ho decal rod', if they had their “heads screwed on right-.” “THE FLAG OF A HOLY WAR.” “It is tlio flag of a holy war,” cried out Mr. Andrew Collins (secretary of the Union), pointing two lingers of his right hand at tho banner. “I Imre sacrificed much.” A voice: How much lias it cost you? What is your hanking accountP “Wo -want a fair tiling,” resumed Mr. Collins. “Lot us fight this on our own. We arc prepared to stand or fall by our action. Are wo downhearted?” Voices: No ; no. The speaker contended that the employers had thrown down the gauntlet. and had taunted the workers. The men had hoped to get ovens to bake for tho public, but had failed. They had no capital. ft was a straight-out fight between labor and capital, as one- of the employers had said. ’ A PERSISTENT INTERRUPTER. At this stage there was an uproar, and Mr. Oil lint) became inaudible, though his face plainly showed that lie was speaking very loudly. A little man with a handcart, quite a Captain Kettle (minus tlio-- torpedo beard), tried to work a passage through the dense throng. He net his teeth and butted in. He was promptly checked, but returned- -to’ tho charge again and again. His vehicle was upset, and lie was promised a dip in the harbor, but he did not flinch. It was possible to make a detour around tlio north end of tlio crowd, but lie was a modern Roman who desired to cut a straight road through the human forest. Ho came with one desperate rush, ploughed twenty yards through the mass of workers till a giant picked up his humble conveyance and rolled it over. By now the little man, who had been amusing the populace at first, excited the ire of two stalwart waterside workers, and ho seemed to be in. for a rough escort to the water front, but was induced by a couple of smiling constables to abandon, his purpose and go around the rear of tho assembly. He trudged off with a face sternly showing that he little liked Ids yielding to a mere trifle of three or four hundred men. Mr. Collins 'commented adversely on the -action of the bakers in ignoring the Conciliation Board (of which -Mr. Collins is a member), and involving the “brute force of arhitration,” which is a phrase that Mr. Collins has used in the past. “If ne are licked,” ho continued, “hut we -arc not going to be because wo are on top, where will you be?” and by tin, “you” he indicated butchers, blacksmiths, wharf laborers, grocers He hinted that all workers bad reason to support the bakers in tho fight, though ho did not. so far as tho writer could hear, directly incite other unionists to strike. Strike is war, he concluded. TOM MANN’S CHORUS. By this time Mr. Mann’s face was~~* beaming. He called for a chorus setting forth the glory of the days with the workers at the top of the tree, and the loafer down below. There was some cheering, and further protestations by strikers that they were not downhearted. Tho banner was taken into the street, and Mr. Mann busied himself in organising a procession. He was a very active marshal. He 'dodged about among the populace urging the men to form ii], three deep. Some attempt was made to restart tlio chorus about the “workers” and the “loafers,” but the volume of sound was not very impressive, and the army was not very mighty as it headed for Willis street, with Mr. Mann in chief comm md. Subsequently a mail installed himself at the base the statue, and in a sad monotonous but loud voice, urged the workers to “arm, arm and out,” but the workers had business elsewhere. The one o’clock whistle was going, the fun was over, -and serious business was awaiting them. , . b,