The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1913. THE WELLINGTON STRIKE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 50, 30 October 1913, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1913. THE WELLINGTON STRIKE.

That we are advancing very slowly—lit', at all—so far as the regulation [and conduct of industrial affairs is concerned, us again made evident by the strikes which are now taking place in this country. Most important, of course, is the wharf men's strike in Wellington, which is causing loss and dislocation of the working of the port Jto a serious extent. Apparently this was the outcome of a decision not to pay certain shipwrights travelling time while going to and from the Wellington patent slip and a refusal to recognise the shipwrights' union, which has since become part of the waterside workers' union. It further appears that the men quite improperly held meetings in their working hours to, i discuss the shipwrights' supposed; grievances, and as a result some of l them were superseded. By a clause] in an agreement entered into between| the waterside workers' and the Wellington Harbour Hoard, "stop-work".

[meetings on any pretence are expressly forbidden, but as the chairman of jtho Harbour Board remarked at a meeting held the other day. "it seemed futile to hope for any assurance [from the men that they will carry out their obligations and promises." Recent industrial disturbances are characterised too mud] by this disregard of honorable undertakings, and the Wellington men are in no better case. In explaining the position the Dominion .says:—"li seems quite hopeless to attempt to reason with the men, and to point out the folly of their action. They fan certainly cause

some inconvenience and loss, but they and then- families must share in that loss, and their share in the end may prove proportionately greater than that which they inflict on others. Moreover, they will have nothing to show tor it—they will not better their positions in the slightest. If they would only stop to think they would realise that from the beginnrng they had nothing to gain by striking. They were employed under an agreement which provided for a satisfactory rate of pay and reasonable conditions of work—an agreement which a few days ago they regarded as in every way satisfactory. They broke that agreement with the result that some of

them lost a few hours' work, their, places being taken by other unionists belonging to their own union. They objected to their fellow-union-; ists being kept on at the work they themselves had refused to attend to. It was the poorest excuse for a strike that was ever invented. They thought the employers would yield to the threat of a strike, and the employers did not yield, and the union thereupon, instead of acting in a reasonable maimer and wisely retracing its steps, only put itself further into the wrong, and

proceeded to inflict hardship and suffering upon its members, finally plunging itself deeper in the mire by acts of lawlessness which must alienate the sympathy of all right-thinking

citizens. If the strikers could be induced to consider the facts as they are, instead of devoting their whole attention to the wild words and reckless braggadocio of their leaders, they could not fail to see that they are acting against their own interests in forcing on the employers a struggle for which there was not the slightest necessity or justification." It is sincerely to be hoped that peaceful

counsels will prevail and that the fairmindedness and commonsense which convince the majority that they are acting wrongfully towards their fellowmen, and in addition inviting loss and suffering for themselves and their families, will compel a speedy ending to a most deplorable situation.