Second Edition THE WATERSIDERS' STRIKE

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 50, 30 October 1913, Page 6

Second Edition THE WATERSIDERS' STRIKE

BLUEJACKETS' DEMONSTRATION

QI ICK-FIRERS PARADED.

[Pkb Paras Association.] Wellington, October 30

The-beginning of the trouble with the mounted special constables was the entrance of a striker into the ground where the police horses were picketed. The police endeavored to remove the man and this was the signal for some hundreds of strikers to tear down the fence and rush the yard. Armed with sticks and stones, thev attacked the specials,, who were unprepared and were greatly outnumbered. Ihey mounted and rode away soon after. . . At the request of the authorities, bluejackets were paraded fully aimed and lined up on the wiiarf. They executed several movements and returned to their ship. Small quickfirers also received attention. At an extraordinary special meeting of the Sports Federation League, held this morning to consider if the Federation would take any action in connection with the present labor troubles, it was unanimously decided that it was outside the jurisdiction of the -Federation.

BATONS FOR WORKERS. SOME ADVICE FROM,SEMPLE. Auckland, October 30. Speaking at a mass meeting at. middav,'Mr Melrose denied that the men discharging the Toiua were members of tiie Harbor Board's permanent staff. He asserted that they refused to do so, with the result that thirty of them have been suspended. Mr Semple said the Government had made no attempt to settle the strike except by allowing Messrs. Herdman and Cullen a free hand. In Wellington" 1100 batons had been distributed by the authorities, which he regarded as an incentive to violence. The watersiders were averse to violent methods,, but evidently the Government -thought the matter should be settled by batons. The men would resent having sjvulls ( cracked. The best strikers; to quietly ffeir o«n batons and be p||&3rocl: '...'■ "' '"" ' ,- v , l'l\i"i A BLUFF. JjJ

WORKE^©ft«ir^l»EftXtfr®SS?

t j. ; , An irresponsible individual, not a member of the Watersiders 1 Union, observing wool being landed from one of the Northern Coy's steamers', jumped on the steamer, picked up the skids used; for trucking coal and a trolley, and dumped both into the He £ demanded that' the hands cease work. |Hisi demand. w,a3 complied with. He. prpceeded to ;re T peat the performance on another steamer, when interfered, and the maa ; disappeared: j Pickets called on men discharging sugar.from a lighter to cease work, and some of -the strikers threatened to throw the sugar overboard. To' avoid a-, conflict, work was stopped. A- similar incident occurred where firewood was being discharged from a barge. THE DISPUTE HANDED OVER. TO FEDERATION OF LABOUR. Wellington, October 30. Merchants and other business ihen met the Premier in private conference to-day. The dispute was officially handed over to the Federation of Labour yesterday. In announcing this at a public meeting to-day, Mr Hickey said the Federation was anxious to settle the trouble, but only on terms acceptable to organised labour. The employers showed a tendency to stand fi.t-footed in every dispute. The Federation only had to' say the word t\) bring about similar conditions in other parts of the country as existed in Wellington, Auckland and Westport. The Federation would fight hard if forced to. Scabs would not be allowed to. break this strike. Mr 'Far-land, secretary of tbe Watersiders' Union, declared that the men would not be batoned back to tbe ro.id. There is sufficient coal for tbe trims v and electric lighting to last scv T on weeks.