NEW SOUTH WALES STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 August 1917, Page 6

NEW SOUTH WALES STRIKE.

SYDNEY WHARVES IDLE. SEAMEN IN TiIK BALANCE. Sydney, August 10. Thorp a complete stopple of Work along liie \\nicrfront to-day owing to tile wharf labourers' strike. The seamen are restive, ami any attempt on the part of steamship owners to introduce 1 lee labour would bring them out immediately. It is not likely that the owners will try to utilise any other labour. The steamer Canberra ramp into port from .Melbourne this morning with a full cargo, itn-iiuliult shipments of fruit aim other perishables. There was not a man on the whir,' in handle it, aiul the vessel will prol.aUv take the goods away tomorrow i Brisbane. The Bombala's cargo from Ouceiisland ports—also fruit and perishables—will be taken on to .Melbourne. The .steamer Saros, which lias ironstone on board from South Australia for the Newcastle Steel Works, is to tie lip at Sydney. Her freight may be handied by labour other than supplied by the unions, as it is urgently required for Empire purposes. Where the labor will tome from remains to be seen. Meanwhile the ship will remain at the wharf. The steamer Judara. which is loading for West Australia, will leave Sydney tomorrow half full, snd the Gabo, also at the A.U.S.N. wharf, will lay up with practically two holds full oi cargo. The steamer Rupara is partly loaded at the Adelaide Company's wharf, but will sail to-morrow for the north, taking passengers The eoastal services are affected by the strike, and in order to meet the urgent rush permanent officials are arriving to handle the cargo from ship to wharf and vice veiva. The lllawarra Company, and also the Newcastle Company are doing all in their power to deal with perishables and to get their ships away. The steamer Go'.ilbjurn lias laid up in Sydney. Other coastal companies are utilising office stairs to do the work. Butter shipments from north and south will be saved at all costs, but general merchandise will have to take its chance. THE POSITION IN NEWCASTLE. TROUBLE EXTENDS. The position at Newcastle remained much the same yesterday (August 10) rs on the previous day. except that the number of those rendered idle through the strike has been substantially increased. The unemployed in the district are approximately estimated at 15.1HM1. The=e include the miners, practically the whole of whom are doing nothing. They number more than SOOO. A statement issued by the Defence Committee after its meeting at six evr.ressorl satisfaction with the stand taken by the nieu in refusing' to respond to Hie Commissioner's ultimatum, tiie extension of which for a further two days being regarded by the members as a complete back-down on the part of the Government and a victory (or the ijjen. There had bceri no defections from the rrnks during the day, nor was it expected that there would be. The cause was sound, and the employees fiood tinner resolved than ever to resist the injustice sr.u'/ht to lie put upon them by the Department. The committee reassembled after tea, and sat for several hours. The niL'ht officers in the railway service ' sent a deputation to the Strike Defence Committee yesterday morning, and had their position stated and considered. They were assured of support in any action they niiulit take. The officers eventually decided to throw in their lot with the men, and ceased work soon after.

MEN AT WORK. Sydney, August )0. Thr following statement, showing the rn-it icm to-day in regard to the wages stair, and Hie total number now at work, was isued by the Railway Department to-night:— Treffif. railways, seventy men have resumed t n dvite. and 3,133 men at work Darling Harbour staff. Five men returned this morning, the total men at work t)2. Jjoeo, railways, approsimately - 500 men have resumed to date, and 2,379 men are at work on the permanent way. j One Jitter's labourer returned for duty ] &t White Bay this morning, and one fettler at liveleigh, 3.783 men being at work. These ligures are exclusive of the men employed on duplication and railway construction works, who total 2,235. ! Traffic.—Trams, fifty-seven men in all have resumed to date, and 187 drivers and conductors at work, making a total wages staff on duty of 012. In the electrical stjiff of the tramways -14 men have resumed to date, and 820 men are at work. The tramway engineer has 224 men at work, signal engineer, 7 men resumed, and 274 men at work. This accounts for a total wages staff of 11,323 on duty to-day. This number is ex- I elusive of 2,23.1 men employed on duplication and deviation works, who are also on duty. RIFLES AND RIOT ACT. NO MILITARY STRIKE PATROT.S. There were two interesting questions and answers in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly one night. The first matter was: — Mr. slntcli (Botany): Have the Police Department secured from the military authorities 200 magazine rifles'? If so, for what purpose, and has, that any relation to the present trouble? Mr. Fuller: I haven't heard anything of that sort, and I don't think it is likely that anything of the sort has occurred. If the hon. member will give notice I will have inquiries made. The Slate Commandant (General Lee) ststed on August 0 that 200 rifles had not been sent to the police by his department. At the end of last year a hundred rifles were lent to the Police Rifle Club to allow that body to practice properly to as to be able to compete with other clubs- "".•■■"jJ.ri.'.A l :." The second matter was:— Mr John Storey: Has the Government tiny knowledge of the fact that yesterdav the Riot Act was read in the whole of' the military camps of New South , Wales? Mr. Fuller: T am not aware of it. The Commandant stated that the Riot Act Jiail n°t been read in the military camps. He pointed out that the Riot Act did not apply to the military at all —its application was civil. Further, he laid that the behaviour of the soldiers in camp had been excellent. It was then put before the Commandant's notice that a rumour waa current that the authorities intended to place military patrols in the city streets as a result of the strike. The Commandant said that there was no truth in this xumour, and that this was the firat time he had heard of it. He bluntly pointed out that the military * w rising to.do jrithythe etrike in any