A SYDNEY VIEW.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 82, 6 December 1913, Page 4

A SYDNEY VIEW.

The Sydney "Daily Telegraph" of November 2Uth, remarks that the "exten- 1 sion of the New Zealand waterside strike to the Sydney wharves may have serious results, and therefore call for

serious action. According to report,; some of the men withheld from the work are far from satisfied with the. conditions, as is intelligible in view: of the approach of the Christmas season. Jt is to be hoped that more of; them will take that view and recognise that while the New Zealand strike!

is a wanton one arising out of the question whether a few shipwrights shall be paid for their time in walking: to work, the consequences of its reflection here must be widespread and; disastrous to people, both as produc-. ers and consumers, who have given no cause of offence to the strikers.! Should it be otherwise, however, and; the Sydney wharf men refuse to handle New Zealand cargo in or out, the Go-j vernment's duty will be to see that the necessary services of the community are carried on. The New Zealand trade is an important one both. in that country and here, and must not be dislocated because the "Red Feds" of the Dominion chose to proclaim a strike. Industrial quarrels in New, Zealand are no concern of ours except! where they affect us, and if sympathetic unionism is to be carried so far as* to hold up commerce and supply in Sydney becausq there is a strike across; the Tasman Sea, then it is time mea-|

sures were taken to safeguard the public* At present there are five steamers he'd up so far as the local laborers can effect their purpose, and others are coming in which will complicate the situation to the great loss of traders in the State. : If the wharf laborers persist in refusing to handle the cargo, promtbly there'is nothing more to be said as far as : they are concerned. ii But if other labor is available to doithe rejected work its employment must be protected and facilitated on the principle that whatever right men

may have to refuse work they have none to prevent others doing it. The Government will naturally be expected to see to this."