THE STRIKE IN BRITAIN

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 287, 31 May 1912, Page 5

THE STRIKE IN BRITAIN

I THE STRIKE COMMITTEE'S | DEMANDS. 1 ** SHORTAGE OF GRAIN. THE MEAT SUPPLY. ; emUATION ON THE CONTINENT. By Oablfr—Press Association—Copyright. Received 31, 12.25 ajn. ; London, May 30. The Strike Committee interviewed Mr. Buxton and discussed preliminaries for Friday's conference. The men declared fcheir desire for a full recognition, and also for an investigation of all questions underlying the present unrest and a guarantee by a really representative attendance of employers that agreements in the future would be maintained. . Mr. Gosling, addressing twenty thousand men at Tower Hill, said that Sir E. Clarke had decided that they were not entitled to work with non-unionists, but this they were going to do. Carmen were the worst paid class. They asked for a minimum wage, with machinery for adjusting future difficulties. The Corn Exchange of London has drawn the Government's attention to the diminishing stocks of grain and the danger of the diversion of fresh supplies to #he Continent. The Maidstone members of the Amalgamated Society of Watermen and Lightermen have struck.

Yesterday 3287 quarters of beef were conveyed from the docks at Smithfield. Five vessels, with 400,000 carcases of (Australian and New Zealand sheep and lamb, are waiting in the river. The Baltic Mercantile Shipping Exchange hag demanded immediate legislation to deal with the situation, inasmuch as the present methods of protection are entirely inadequate. Mr. Anderson, secretary of the transporters, threatens a national strike unless the importation of blacklegs ceases. Mr. Orbell, secretary of the Dockers' Union, states that steps will be taken •to prevent the unloading of ships which are diverted to the Continent. The central council of the International Transporters' Federation are meeting in Berlin, with a view to taking international action. SHIPOWNERS OBDURATE. Received 30, 11.40 p.m. London, May 30. Mr. Potter, of Birt, Potter and Hughes, in a letter to Mr. Buxton on behalf of the London shipowners, says that the Dock Labor Committee declines his in.vitation, on the groumT that last autumn's agreements and award have now been set aside as futile. The shipowners have no confidence and no assurance that any negotiations at present .will have any greater reality or be more permanent. (Mr. Tiilett, interviewed, said that the shipowners as a body never honestly recognised their contracts. Potter's organisation never attempted to enforce the agreement or hold shipowners, contractors and wharfingers to honor the agreements reached. FREE LABORERS. . ___ GOVERNMENT PROTECTION SOUGHT. lxmdon. May 29. Hundreds of strike breakers are reaching the docks to-day. A privately organised civilian force escorted numerous workers to the docks last night. The Shipping Gazette states that Shaw. Saville and Co.'s donkeymen struck, including tho s e working the refrigerating machinery of the Waimana and Rangatira. The Shipping Federation vessel, Lady Jocelvn, filled with free laborers, attempted to enter Albert Docks to replace the donkeymen, but the Port Authority refused the ,Lady Jocelyn admission. It is reported that, in consequence of Mr. McKenna's stand with regard to the strikers, a special meeting of the London Chamber of Commerce passed a resolution affirming the right of employers to engage either unionists or non-unionists, and urging the Government to afford protection. PERMITS TO WORK London, May 29. The Strike Committee has issued a hundred permits, including one for removal of refuse. STRIKERS FINED. London, May 29. Twenty Canning Town rioters were fined 40s, with the alternative of a month's imprisonment. There has been further harness-cutting in the East End to-day, including the harness on some carts containing Australian apples.