ROWDY WHARF LABORERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 160, 6 January 1914, Page 5

ROWDY WHARF LABORERS.

Tli<il 111.10 IX WELLINfiTON SIIEDP. J By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Tin- re-opening of the "donkey-room" i in X shed, as a place for engaging wharf | labor, was marked by a I'ood deal of i rowdyism this morning. Before eight o'clock, a large crowd of men, sonic linn ; droits of tin m ex-strikers, assembled in the. room, and when the men were being selectcij there win a good deal of heckling and rowdiiii ss. Artenvards, ;\s ton , much labor was available, a large mi iber of hands were left the mamrilv of them being men who had come back towork when the -trfte was called oil'. They made it decidedly uncomfortable for members of the Waterside Worker*' T'uioii, who had resumed during the strike, and also for the new hands. There was considerable, uproar, and •several attempts at xnecchinaking were made. One man, who was insulted, struck an opponent and received a somewhat severe handling, his main injury being a cut over the eye. lie reported the matter to Hie wharf officials, hut said that he could not identify his oppoI nent. and. consequently, no action could he taken in the matter. In another instance, two men oompijilwod that exstrikers had prevented tboin from going up the stairs into the waiting-room. The men were warned by one of the chief wharfingers that, should yuoh unseemly conduct occiir again, the sle',l would be closed and thef would have to wait outside on the quay. This would of course mean that; wnnrf bauds would be engaged on the wharves, as they were ' during the currency of the strike. Owing to more serious developments in the afternoon, Mr Fletcher, chairman of the Harbor Hoard, consulted the police authorities regarding the maintenance of order on the wharves, and gnvo erde's for the "donkey-room" to be'flowd until' ■ further notice, , ;