WELLINGTON TRAMWAY STRIKE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1003, 6 February 1912, Page 3

WELLINGTON TRAMWAY STRIKE.

CITIZENS’ LEAGUE FORMED.

At a meeting of the executive of the newly-tormed Citizens’ League on Saturday morning, the following resolution was passed : “ That this meeting of the executive of the Wellington Citizens’ League hereby supports the City Council in its attitude in declining to make any further concession in the present tramway negotiations, and is fully in accord with a firm attitude in protecting the interests of citizens as a whole as against the demands of any particular section, and that the league take active steps towards the above objects.” Wellington, Feb. 4. The strike remains unsettled. The City Council held a special meeting on Saturday to deal with the report of the Full Committee, which had conferred with the representatives of the Tramways Union. Terms of settlement had been agreed to but the men took exception to the paragraph which stated that Inspector Fuller’s transference had been at his own request. Subsequently the strikers’ representatives arrived to announce the result of the previous night’s meeting. They were received by the Sub Committee, which subsequently reported to the Council sitting in committee. Press representatives being excluded. Loud voices were shortly a Iterwards heard coming from the Chamber and various epithets were hurled about freely. Councillors came out in ones and twos and the meeting had evidently broken up in some excitement. The Town Clerk later gave the following official statement to the press : “The delegates of the Strike Committee came over to furnish us with an official report of the result of last night's meeting of the Union. They also asked to meet the delegates of the Council. The delegates ofi both sides mei ,ia 1 the representations of the Stnxc Committee advanced a further proposal in the direction of settlement.

“They asked that No. 1 clause should be deleted entirely from the previous basis of agreement and that the Council’s own resolution of yesterday should be substituted and embodied in the agreement as follows: ‘That it be an instruction to the Electrical Engineer on settlement of the dispute to have Inspector Fuller placed in a position where he will not have any dealings with members of the Tramways Union.” The Council was considering this proposal when the unfortunate incident occurred, which led to its compulsory adjournment until Monday morning. The men met last night, when representatives of other Unions which bad not previously taken any part in the matter were present.

It is understood a resolution was passed that the City Council be notified that unless the men’s amended terms be acceded by noon on Monday, othet unions will be asked to “down tools” in token of sympathy with the strikers. TRAM STRIKE SETTLED. SIR JOSEPH WARD MEDIATOR. Wellington, Yesterday. 'The tramway strike has been settled through the mediation of Sir Joseph Ward. The terms of the agreement are : i. The removal of Inspector Fuller to some other position of the Tramway service as originally desired by the Tramway Union, and now desired by that officer himself. 2 That it be an instruction to the electrical engineer to have Fuller placed on the settlement of the dispute, in a position where he will have no dealings with the members of the Tramway Union, 3, That the council guarantee that on resumption of work the men involved in this trouble shall not be subject to victimisation, but shall be reinstated in their employment without loss of status. In connection with the settlement Sir Joseph Ward offered to act as intermediary, and at eleven o’clock this morning a meeting of the City Council was held, at which he was present for an hour. He then left to interview the tramway men’s committee at the Trades Hall. Alter twenty minutes’ deliberation he returned to the Council, where a joint committee meeting of representatives of the strikers and the City Council was held. Before one o’clock, an agreement had been arrived at, and Sir Joseph offiicially announced to about 1000 people outside the Town Hall that the dispute was over, and the agreement only required to be endorsed by a meeting ol tramway men at 3 o’clock this afternoon. Some iuflamatory speeches were made by the Labour leaders at a mass meeting held on Sunday afternoon, Mr Hickey (secretary of the Labour Federation) referred to the desire of the Unionists to obtain the removal of Fuller “where his pestiferous carcase would not come in contact with decent people.” (Laughter). He spoke strongly against -“detestable spying and pimping.” He was not making idle threats, but he told them that there was a possibility ot the Dominion being involved in a universal upheaval. He told the citizens that with the possibility of their light being cut off, the possibility of their garbage being lett in their back yards, and their sewerage being filled up, the organised workers of New Zea*

land, from Auckland to the Bluff, would see that justice would be done to the tramway men. Referring to the dignity of the City Council, he said, “Damn the dignity of the Council.” (Laughter), Mr Semple (Federation of Labour) referred to Inspector Fuller in terms that could not be printed without grave risks ot libel. He wound up his references by stating that when he died he would have to get a step-ladder to climb into hell. He spoke very forcibly against low, degraded “ pimps and pimping.” This was not an age for “ pimps,” it was an age tor reason, and they were going to do away with “pimps.” He threatened a general strike unless the trouble was settled. As for the Mayor, he suggested that they should get a big, loose pair of feather breeches made tor him, and turn him into a human incubator. (Laughter). He had been asked what sort of chickens he would rear. He believed they would be all roosters.