WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 August 1920, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE WATERSIDE TROUBLE

A SETTLEMENT,

(Our Special Correspondent)

WELLINGTON, Aug. 27,

The waterside trouble, which partook something of the character of a strike and something of the character of a lock-out, was finally settled on Thursday morning, when the call for men for unloading phosphates from the Meikai Manx met with a sufficient response and all the other labour about the wharves was quickly absorbed. By this time just upon 9000 tons of coal, said to bo a record for the port, were waiting discharge, and directly the hatches were removed from the first of the colliers arrangements were set on foot for the resumption of the tram and other services dependent upon the electric power station. Current was turned on at once and the street cars began to move shortly after eleven o’clock. The Gas Company and its customers were not so fortunate. Coal immediately was sent across to the works at Miramar, but the stokers, it seems, were bent on prolonging their holiday and this morning the management is unable to say when gas will be available.

A BITTER EXPERIENCE. The suspension of transit, lighting and heating services has proved a very hitter experience to many of the residents in the city and suburbs. Minor forms of sickness are prevalent almost everywhere, the winter has been a particularly wet and cold one, not one home in a hundred has any reserve stock of fuel, and every other trouble is aggravated by the increasing cost of the real necessaries of /'life. Blame is being heaped upon the waterside-workers and upon the shipping companies, quite indiscriminately and frequently without much regal'd to the merits of the position, but whatever may he the other outcomes of the trouble it is certain it will give additional point to the argument of those people who would have the State take over the control of the waterfront. This matter was mentioned at the meeting of the Harbour Board on Wednesday and the idea of State control evidently had some supporters. LABOUR UNREST.

It was obvious during the trouble on the waterfront that there were disturbing spirits at work among the men seeking to induce them to renounce agreements and rely entirely upon the direct action advocated by the extreme sections of American and Australian Labour. That these fire-brands were not without some influence may he judged from the fact that the c:ill for men for the Meikai Mam on Wednesday morning failed. The executive of the Waterside Workers’ Union, there is every reason to believe, was perfectly sincere in its efforts to induce the men to keep faith with the employers, but it had neglected to take the rank and file into its full confidence and in this way had left them easy preys to the insinuating misrepresentations of the mischief maker. The employers may not have been blameless in their methods, hut with right on their side they had the advantage which commands success.