Second Edition. WATERSIDERS' STRIKE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 52, 1 November 1913, Page 6

Second Edition. WATERSIDERS' STRIKE.

THE WAIKATO’S INTERESTS. [Per Press Association.] Hamilton, November 1. At a, meeting held at Hamilton this morning to raise volunteers, over 100 burly farmers and business, men signed enrolment forms. Meetings will be held to-day at T Awamutu, Cambridge, and TeArpha, the speakers at the Hamilton meeting emphasised that Waikato must not concern itself whe.there the strike was legal or otherwise. but must act merely to protect the interests of the district. “KEEP OFF THE BOOZE.” Wellington, November 1. Addressing the strikers at the Post Office Square this morning, Mr Bailey, who presides at most of the meetings, urged the men to keep away from “pubs,” and not “go on the booze.” EMPLOYERS WITHDRAW FROM PROPOSALS. Employers met this morning and passed a resolution that as the employers’ strike committee lias been incorporated in a general committee re-

presenting the trading,, producing and manufacturing interests of the Dominion, which will deal with all matters in connection with the strike, the proposals made/ in conference with the; Waterside Workers’ Union on Wednesday be 'withdrawn. Over 1600 special constables have now been sworn in in Wellington. PICTON CALLED OUT. Blenheim, November 1. A telegram has been received at Pieton from Messrs Hickey and Young calling the local watersiders . out. Though Marlborough is directly affected by the disorganisation, the shipping trade of ( the district is in a position to stand a long siege without suffering to any extent.

1 A continuance of the strike- might mean discomfiture as regards ,sugar and kerosene. Blenheim is well supplied with coal, and the gasworks received a few days ago a large shipment. A shortage of benzine affects the business men running oil engines, motor cars, and. oil launches. Farmers’ requirements, generally, have been filled. Shearing and harvesting can .anticipated with equanimity. The .local supplies of fruit arc snpxjl. 'S f 4

RANCITIKE! COUNTY RESdLU- . ’ 1 ■ ,:m!

Marton, November 1

At the monthly meeting of the Bangitikei County Council this morning, the following 1 motion whs passed: “That we call upon the settlers at Bangitikei to volunteer for special service as mounted constables or free \%l)9t)f)er46j,,fpc.' service at Wellington and .in. suppressing the present, lawlessness- now rampant. Our business as ter. If the present disorder is allowed, to. continue, scores of. tons-of hotterand. (cheese are ■ made daily, which it is, imperative should he put aboard ship as delivered in' the port or rapid deterioration and loss ox Home ra.ajket will be a certainty, while the sheep .farmer has lost the January sales in London through the hold-up of shipping. 'As farmers we express no opinipu on the matter of the quarrel nor r do we desire to take either ■side, but the strikers must learn that whatever their grievances are we will not allow trade to be stopped and our business ruined.’ ’

It is expected that fifty volunteers will leave this evening.

AUSTRALIANS LONG FOR HOME. , / „ Dunedin, November 1. The ITimaroa while on her way to Bluff from Lyttelton received a wireless call from Port Chalmers to take •the crew of .the Victoria, who are Australiansj to Melbourne., The Victoria, which .has lately been employed working the New Zealand coast, will be laid up here*; , »■ ■ . . Two fruit salesmen from Dunedin attempted to carry fruit ashore from the Ulimaroa, but strikers took cases back to the vessel’s deck. HELP FROM HASTINGS. Hastings, November 1. At a large and enthusiastic meeting of. farmers, employers, and business men this morning the following resolution was carried unanimously : “.That this meeting representative of -the farmers and business men of Hawke’s Bay, while regretting tin strike, assures the Government and the general public that we are prepared to take our share in keeping law and order and protecting those who are willing 'to carry on the business of the country; and with this object iu‘ \ftew, agree to send as many men and horses to Wellington as soon as-possible.” ~ About 150 people wore present. A large, jnqpibei* of men, both young and old, handed in their names as willing to go to Wellington as special constables. Others offered horses and equipment. Many employers and business men offered to go if needed. About 100 mounted men leave for Wellington by special train to-morrow. LEVIN AND GO’S. STEAMERS'. A Wellington, November 1. Levin and Co. state that they do not intend to pay off -the crews on their coastal vessels yet. The crews of

the Kaiapoi, Poherua, and Wairuna were paid off, and the same course will be followed with the Pukaki and Kaitoa when they arrive. . rj.f t* . a «" * * ’; STRIKER HEAVILY FINED. The first striker to appear in Court was Walter Jackson, who was charged to-day with disorderly conduct and obscenity .in main street. Jackson was lined 4.05. and £5 respectively, with alternatives of seven and fourteen days in gaol.

A CASE FOR MR YOUNG TO ANSWER. Wellington, November 1. The following message was sent from the executive committee of the Auckland Seamen’s Union to Mr Young: “The executive here would like to know whether your utterances at the Basin Reserve were made as president of the United Federation of Labor or as Secretary of the Wellington Seamen’s-Union. In view of the recent ballot, your conduct is most extraordinary. Do you propose involving the Seamen’s Union of New Zealand in a strike without first consulting other branches, or our Australian kinsmen. .Your bombast about marching on Wellington with 15,000 men is worthy of Doctor Jim or John Brown, but certainly not a guarantee of victory or of improved conditions for seamen oii this coast, because you should remember in all Anglo-Saxon and Celtic commuities the forces of civilisation are not yet exhausted.”

SEAMEN MAY COME OUT,

Christchurch,"November 1

In consequence of the decision of the Employers’ Association to call for free labour, strike pickets were placed at the entrance of the office in the city, and there was a small crowd at the point all morning. Enrolment was not fast, butlthe officers of the association say tliat they had nearly forty applications in the morning in addition to others being enrolled at places not specified. Two hundred men will be required to work the wharves and three hundred, to protect them. If this number is forthcoming a start might he made on the wharves on Tuesday. The pickets spoke tp .applicants, but the proceedings were orderly. The strikers were emphatic that as, soon as a free labourer went on the wharves the seamen would come out, rendering their work useless, f. ■: . •

OAMARU WATERSIDERS JOIN

STRIKERS.

Oamaru, November 1. | fin conseqtieiiee' of a telegram -receiv; cm from the Federation\ of Labor the Ippal watersiders. held ,ha|lqt tliis morning* and ideHdedi li.i, to! 21 upt to wofjt "the • Waltbmb, ‘ now- in ppjft with h (lar||(i of epal.. Tlfe decision* caused some surprise, as it was understood that they would handle coal intended foi v local consumption hwand by the' railways'. Tile 'watersiders 'here, though organised, are affiliated to no outside body. They work under a local agreement. There isliiot lik|jjr’to‘ Ire ,-ii coal fo|f domestic pui)ppge,s qnless thp,,st r jke is J of: ; itlytftijpjq,, ~ j ‘ 5 »; * ‘WU KMfSW FIVE PER CENT ADVANCE ON MERCHANDISE. Advice was received - P . in Stratford late this afternoon that owing to the serious loss caused by the waterside workers’ strike An Wellington, Auckland, and other ports, it has been decided by the merchants : |o advance the prices of merchandise, and therefore from, to-day. they lyill charge 5 per cent extra on alLffpoda sold during the continuance of'the strike.