AT CHRISTCHURCH.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 72, 25 November 1913, Page 5

AT CHRISTCHURCH.

A QUIET TOWN. CHRISTCHURCH GARTERS STILL OUT. Christchurch, .November 25. The town generally is quiet. The carters and drivers are holding a mccting. A number of specials are still at Addington. It is intended to use them in the city if the carters remain out. UNITED ACTION IN AUSTRALIA. [By Eleotiuo Telegraph—Copyright] [United Press Ahsooi \tion. t (Received 10.5 a.m.)

Sydney, November 25

Representatives of the newly-form-. cd Australasian Federation of Labor conferred with the transporters’ representatives in Melbourne last week. This is regarded in Union circles as significant. The voting was equal on the question ot meeting again. The secretary of the Australasian Federation is reticent, but he admits that two resolutions were reached which practically backed up the attitude taken up at an earlier meeting regarding the New Zealand cargo. The Federation has issued instructions to affiliated unions drawing attention to the fact that unrest is threatened among j the railway men, miners, and waterside workers. Some of these had substantial grievances of their own. The extension of the New Zealand trouble to Australia had greatly increased the.difficulties of the officials. Precipitate action might easily initiate a large industrial conflagration, consequently no isolated action must bo permitted. The Federation must be consulted before, not after, open rupture is reached. A'policy was tentatively adopted which provides unity of view by some 80,001) unionists in addition to our own 50,000. “I would suggest,” he said, “if a critical situation is reached in your organisation, that you should keep in close touch with me so all we do shall have a common and generally acceptable purpose behind it.”

JOTTINGS. Speaking at Christchurch on strike matters the Rev. T. A. Williams said that he wanted to say at the outset that be was there as a follower of .Jesus Christ, the Friend of the Worker. He also wanted to say that he was there to speak for fair play against foul play. He felt that the men were lighting for their very existence. . . . He deplored the stops taken by the Farmers’ Unions. It was not their tight and they should have stood out, for their interference would have a harvest of bitterness in the days to come.” A conference of chairmen of the principal Harbour Hoards of New Zealand was held in Wellington on Saturday, at which the Prime Minister (the Hon. \V- F. Massey) presided. Mr W. Ferguson, of Wellington, who is an expert on harbour affairs, was also present. The object o( the conteronce was to discover if possible some means of bringing about a more satisfactory state of things in connection with the employment of labor on wharves. No particulars of the matters discussed were made available to the Press, hut it is understood that the chief proposal admitted was that the wharves should he manned largely with permanent men, who would he guaranteed a minimum wage, and who would ho entitled to superannuation. The conference was only a preliminary one, and the delegates present at if will have to refer the proposals to their several hoards before meeting again.