THE STRIKE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 63, 14 November 1913, Page 5

THE STRIKE.

Ruinous Effect upon

Industry

H rbitrationists gaining Ground.

“SPECIALS” BEING RE*

PLACED BY OTHERS.

AT WELLINGTON.

STRIKERS NOT DISMAYED.

[Per Press Association.! Wellington, November 13

About two thousand people attended a meeting in Newtown Park tonight. Addresses were given by Mr P. Hickey, W. T. Mills, G. Payne, M.P., and several others, but no motion was adopted. All the speakers declared that though the leaders were in prison and though others might be arrested, there were plenty to fill their places and the fight would go on. None of the strikers would go back to work till they won the battle and got what they wanted. The men waiting in gaol were happy and those who were fighting the cause outside need not be dismayed.

SHEARERS WILL NOT STRIKE.

Wellington, November 13

The Shearers’ Union* decided not to go on /strike at present, as members of the executive cannot be got together to discuss the position.

NEW DRIVERS’ UNION.

Wellington, November 14

A now Drivers’ Union was formed last night. There was a large meeting, including men not drivers and others opposed,to the formation. They were requested to leave, and after trying to induce the rest to do so too, went away. At the close of the meeting, a conference was held with the employers, and it .was unanimously decided to register and enter into an agreement ;on the terms of the present award and give preference to those who join the new union.

MEEtINC OF TRAMWAYMEN.

NO BALLOT TO BE HELD.

Wellington, November 14

The tramwaymen met last night. No official information is available, but it has been ascertained that the matter of a ballot has been adandoned.

STRIKE PICKETS AT WORK. ATHENIC SAILS TUESDAY. 460 NEW UNIONISTS. Wellington, November 14. This morning when some of Odlin and Co’s, timber carters were leaving the yards they were stuck up by drivers’ pickets from Newtown. The pickets attempted to persuade the men to leave off work. Mr Odlin telephoned for special constables, and in a few moments a troop of ten came up at full gallop and the pickets rapidly dispersed. *

The Athenic loaded 1800 tons of wool and lias another 1000 to take aboard. She hopes to finish coaling to-morrow night. The coal baskets on the hulk are being filled by stewards belonging to the vesselj and although many of them are greenhorns they have stuck to the task without a murmur. The departure of the steamer on Tuesday will probably be made the occasion for a hearty send-off demonstration.

The total membership of the new Arbitration Union at 10 o’clock numbered 4GO. It is now certain that several of the old union have thrown in their lot with the Arbitration organisation. The foreman stevedore states that some of the best cargo handlers in Wellington are at work on the waterfront.

AT CHRISTCHURCH. THREATS OF VIOLENCE. * ' <• Christchurch, November Id. Ever since the strike started the watersiders have received with disfavor the employment, of the Union Company’s permanent wharf hands at coaling and loading and discharging of mails and baggage on the ferrysteamers. These men are not members of the Lyttelton union. One of the permanent hands was approached yesterday hy certain men. who, it is understood, are not waterside workers, and threatened with personal violence and throats of damage to his house. He did not pay much attention to the threats, hut performed his duties as usual. This morning, however, he discovered that the threats were carried out, and that some mean curs had entered' his premises and wantonly damaged his garden. Potatoes, peas and other vegetables had been ruthlessly torn up hy the roots, and much of his Pahor in his garden was brought to nought. His fowl house had also heou

broken into, and some of his poultry killed.

A man was arrested today on a charge of using threatening language, to wit; “Wo know wnoro you live, Frank, and we will come up to fix you up!” The man was under the influence of liquor when arrested, and will also be charged with drunkenness. The victim of the outrage is applying for tlie man to be bound over to keep the peace.

AT AUCKLAND.

RETURNING TO WORK,

BUSINESS PARALYSED.

Auckland, November 13

The Exhibition executive’s invitation to former employers t<? return to work this morning was accepted by about -10 men. Some strike pickets were waiting outside the exhibition gates early this morning in order to bring suasiau to bear on any of the men who might be intending to return. J licitarguments appealed to a few, but tlie majority adhered to their intentions and passed through the gates. Altogether there were over 40 carpenters, painters, etc., at work in and around the Exhibition buildings this morning. An additional 30 are also busily employed on the construction of “Wonderland Park.”

A number of Onehunga waterside workers who were thrown out of work through the strike held a meeting yesterday afternoon, when they were met by the president and secretary of the new Auckland Union. 1 bey decided to form a branch of the Auckland Union and register under the Arbitration Act.

Some three hundred shopkeepers in the city and suburbs have* signed a petition t which is being prepared for presentation to the Prime Minister. Copies will also he sent to Sir .Joseph Ward and to Members of Parliament. The petition reads as follows; —“All the undersigned shopkeepers and business people of Auckland earnestly request yon to bring pressure to bear on the Employers’ Association at once and not allow their, stubborness to ruin our trade. Business is paralysed.”

“FIGHT ONLY BEGINNING.” STRIKERS HARDENED UP. Auckland, November 13. An official proclamation issued by the Central Strike Committee to-day stated emphatically that there would bo no giving in, and that irom information in possession of the Committee there was no sign of weakening. By the unanimous wish of the union representatives on the. Central Strike Committee, it has been decided to recoqnnepd to all unions that if the dispute is not settled very shortly they should cancel their registration under the Arbitration Act.

“If employers persist in the attitude they have taken up,” says this official declaration, “complications will arise and the position will be worse than it was before.”

“A great deal has been made by the general public,” says the Strike Committee, “of the part that has been taken in this strike by the Federation of Labor. The sooner they get this bogey out of their heads the better it will be for all concerned. There is only one representative of the Federation of Labor on the Central Strike Committee. The great majority of delegates on the Committee are representatives from Arbitration Unions. The Central Strike Committee is making arrangements for every union now on strike to hold meetings to discuss the question of cancelling their registration. The feeling of representatives on the Central Committee is that every union is determined to take this >stop. It is a case of starvation or Federation. The Committee adds : “Auckland lias led the way, and from news wo have received from the south wo believe that other centres will shortly follow in our footsteps. The gaoling of the leaders has hardened up the workers, and the fight is far from being ended. It has only just begun.”

The Auckland Stock Exchange this afternoon donated 100 guineas to the funds of the Citizens’ Defence Committee.

WORKING THE SHIPPING. Auckland, November 14. The Taluiie arrived from the Islands this morning and is discharging fruit at the wharf. The Opawa arrived from Napier and is now loading butter for London. EFFECT UPON INDUSTRY. Gore, November I I. In consequence of the strike, the Mataura paper mills have caused down as the material could not be got away. Fifty-two hands are idle. PICTON NOW AN OPEN PORT. Blenheim, November 14. At a meeting of the I’icton waterside rs last night it was unanimously resolved to secede from the Federation of Labor, and it was decided to register under the Arbitration Act. Pic ton is now an open port. ASSISTANCE FROM SYDNEY. [By Klectrio Telegraph—Copyright) (United Press Association. 1 Sydney, November 13 The Wharf Laborers’ Union voted £25 to the New Zealand strike fund. A meeting of the Labour Council resolved to support the New Zealand strikers financially. (Received 10.0 a.m.) Sydney, November 14. Prior to the Labor Council decision a delegate from the New Zealand Shipwrights’ Society gave an account of the trouble