DOCKERS’ STRIKE.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 February 1924, Page 3

DOCKERS’ STRIKE.

4 USTItALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. .FIRST DAY OF STRIKE. LONDON, Feb. is Mr Bevin Oho dockers’ leader; slates that all the provincial, and practically all llie London dockers, have struck. The first effective day of the strik'd opened , (iiiietly. In J.ondon large crowds <il dockers gathered outside the gates and there are strong pickets of strikers at every wharf. The police were reinforced including some mount- ' fils, hnt so far everything is orderly, the strikers merely jeering at members of the stevedores’ union who went to work. The hitter’s officials declare the. men were instructed to refuse the extra shilling a day which the employers are offering the stevedores’ union who want 2s (id per day increase. They have asked the employers ’for a meeting on Wednesday, failing which the union may he compelled to change its policy. The Ministry of Transport states, with regard to the dock strike, that the food supplies can he maintained for varying periods, ranging Irom a few days in the case of fruit, to over three weeks for wheat, meat and Hour. The cold storages have been filled in anticipation of the strike, hut pickets are reported to he preventing meat being taken from cold storage. Covent (lurileii Market has, so far, not been nil'octed as heavy supplies of fruit and vegetables have been landed in the last week. The supply of home killed meat at Smithficdd is fairly heavv, but there is a shortage of imported chilled frozen meat. Consequently, wholesale prices advanced » half-penny to three half-pence pet pound.