THE DOCKERS’ STRIKE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4665, 22 February 1924, Page 2

THE DOCKERS’ STRIKE.

—< OTHER WORKERS AFFECTED. ' — 1 A COURT OF INQUIRY. I LONDON, February 20. The Court of Inquiry into the dock dispute was presided over by Mr Hol man Gregory, accompanied by Mr H. Boothman, secretary of the Association of Operative Cotton Spinners, and Sir Andrew Duncan, secretary of the Shipbuilding Employers’ Federation. It was opened publicly in the Law Courts. Neither of the disputant parties briefed counsel. Mi' Ernest Bev in opened for the dockers. He said he did net propose to call witnesses, but desired the Court to call witnesses- . from the other side. The strike inquiry was dramatically adjoinned for the meeting to discuss making a new offer. The stevedores’ rival union unanimously adopted a resolution in favour of striking. Sir Norman Hill, vice-president of the Chamber of Shipping, was present at the dock inquiry court representing the employers. BUSMEN ALSO STRIKE. Over a thousand busmejn struck owing to dissatisfaction with the system of transferring men from one depot to another. THE CARTERS JOIN. ’L’lie most important development today in the direction of intensifying the dockers’ strike was the refusal by 10,000' London carmen to handle goods from the docks, wharves, ar warehouses. The men who move the carcases from the cold meat stores to Smithfield have joined the strike'owing to personal grievances. -This is the chief .cause of the shortage of supplies, of meat and of the increase in the wholesale prices. Mr Bevin, referring to the meat shortage, said he was quite unmoved by public hardship. The public hitherto had cared nothing about the dockers’ troubles. There should have X been a disturbance months ago, before the existing trouble developed. The Daily Telegiaph’s Pariiamen. tary correspondent, however, says it. i,s stated in Ministerial circles that the dockers made an offer to the Government to allow the passage of essential foodstuffs so long as there was no profiteering. The Cabinet’s warning followed. In the meantime the Board of Trade is quietly inquiring into the position of the country’s food supplies. Mr Bevin declares: “We have 80,000 road transport workers within our membership. We can stop them all if necessary, but we do not want to embarrass the public if there is a chance of a settlement. As a - last . resource xve could stop the passenger transport workers. Many firms are writing offering to pay the dockers’ demands if their ships are discharged, but there must be a national settlement. Mr Ben Tillett, Political Secretary to the Transport-and General Workers’ Union, states that the dockers throughout the country will not brook intervention. They mean to have '» straight out fight for the 2s increase. As far as he could see the strike would last several weeks.

The emergency committee of the Trades Union Congress passed a resolution congratulating the transport workers and dockers on their magnificent stand, pledging the support of British trade unionism, and calling on all affiliated organisations to assist the strikers.

Large bodies of pickets and corresponding bodies of horse and foot police are on duty at tile dock gates. Distinctly less work was dene at the docks yesterday than on Monday. Lascars are unloading private baggage from the Narkunda, but otherwise the Tilbury docks are at a standstill. The business community is indignant at the the. Fest Office to deal with American mails; 500(1 mailbags have been lying In tenders at Plymouth since the week-end. COMMISSIONER OF FOOD. Mr Macdonald lias appointed' Col-, oriel,,J. C. Wedgwood, Chancellor of. the Duchy of Lancaster, Commissioner of Food, in view of the possibility o’ rationing. DOCK ENGINEERS OUT. One thousand members of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers at Southampton docks struck, owing to the breakdown of the conference following a dispute in regard to wages. The men demanded an increase of 17s 6d and the employers offered 2s 6d.

A London cablegram dated February 12 .stated that 800 1 engineers had downed tools in Southampton owingto Messrs Harland and Wolff’s proposal to reduce night-shift rates time and a-half to time and a-third.