The Wharf Laborers Strike.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1613, 20 January 1886, Page 2

The Wharf Laborers Strike.

(Per s.s. kingarootna at Bluff.) ( ( UNITED PBESS ASSOCIATION. ) , ' Melbourne, Jan. 12. The wharf laborers' strike has now assumed a new phase, and there is every probability of , it leading to very serious complications. .On Saturday the men's faces alongside the wharf betokened that they hud scoured a victory. The men who had been, brought from Adelaide and Sydney had listened to the representations at the 'Wharf Laborers' Union.-. Dissatisfaction had appeared among these men the previous night while being detained on board the steamer Carangaruito, and they expressed themselves . very indignant at being Kept on board nil night, as they said, like a lot of convicts; On Friday night the men had been asked to commence work, baskets being handed^ round, but this they refused to do. Early on Saturday morning they hailed a waterman's boat and set about releasing themselves, m spite of the remonstrances of the officers of the ship. "When the boat left the ship it was hailed by a cutter containing the Secretary of the Wharf Laborers' Union, ,; when the news that the. new arrivals had agreed to join the Union spread,; and ; they j were ; received with three cheers by the crowd 'which had assembled on the Williamstown Pier, and the men were escorted to Melbourne by train. The Union has, so far, provided all these men with board and lodgings. As far as can be gathered, the laborers had not signed any agreement, some of them declaring they had no intention of working at all, but sim- : ply to take a cheap trip to Melbourne. Having secured the Corangamito contin gent,, the Wharf Laborers' Union prepared to reoeive the Gambier, from Syd ney, which arrived at Williamstown early on Saturday morning; None but the Press and the owners being, allowed to go oh 'board, circulars were surreptitiously conveyed to the ship informing ' the men of the position of affairs, and calling on them to support the. Union men. This<they; agreed to do, and, immediately on being landed were conveyed to hotels,, and since have 'been supported at the expense- of the Union. Immediately the. shipowners .heard this tliey telegraphed to the Union Steamship.Company, Dunedin, as follows.:— "Thai! fifty men engaged.. at, Adelaide have been inveigled, away. The meeting, wishes engaged other < hundred inen, arid ' Will probably require a -third lot.'' Letters have been received from men out of employment m Tasmania. . and some parts of Victoria, asking -for work, and an engagement, has been offered to these men for three months. Work at the wharves is proceeding without much hindrance. The steamer Leura is getting away on Saturday with BQQ tons of cargo, which has been put into the hold by a party of non-Union. men. A deputation, consisting of the Conynittea of the Employers' Union, is: to. wait, on Ms Mcllwraithj shipowner,, who, ha<j agreed to the men's terms, asking him.. to, give , up the position ,he had taken up.