THE LATEST.

Te Puke Times, Volume II, Issue II, 4 November 1913, Page 3

THE LATEST.

A CONFERENCE SITTING. AFFRAY AT WELLINGTON. i Auckland. Monday.; jNo settlement, has yet been reached in the Waterside Workers'striKe. The men at the various ports affected are still idle. .!';■. A conference -between the 1 employers'., and representatives of the workers, presided over by Mr Massey, took place last evening at. 7 o'clock.' at 'Wellington

The .conference sat until eleven p.m., and adjouned until 2 o'clock this afternoon.

■ At an early hour this morning word was received,from Wellington tliat it is still uncertain if a settlement will be arrived at.

Negotiations are being conducted by the yayorof Auckland With a view to the strikes at Auckland and liuntly being suspendedl pending the conclusion of the conference at Wellington, which has for its objects tha restoration of industrial peace.'

Nearly, 500 special constables have been sworn in at Auckland, and anothdr 500 will be given their authority to-day. A force of 2000 is to be established.

An invitation has been given by the Mayor to all able-bodied citizens to volunteer for service for the protection of public and private property.

The organisation of farmers to open the port for shipping their produce is proceeding rapidly.

A contingent of, 500 men, assembled at Hamilton is now awaiting orders to proceed to Auckland. . Detachments are drawn from Cambridge, Te Aroha, Te Awamutu and Ngaruawahia. Thirteen large steamers, in addition to almost the whole of the Northern S.S. Co's, fleet, and other vessels are now lying at anchor in the Harbor. The line of vessels extends from Devonport to Chelsea. Wellington, Monday. _ A serious affray took place this evening by the Drill Hall. It is at present difficult to get reliable, information, but it appears a crowd gathered round watching the Permanent Artillery and special constables quartered at the Garrison Hall. As they came too close and refused to go away the crowd was charged by the special mounted police. The latter were subjected to a heavy fusilade of stones, lumps of iron, and other missiles, with a frequent peppering of revolver shots, Tuesday, The patients in Hospital as the result of the affray are Staff Serjeant-Major Thompson, wounded in the head with slight concussion ; a young man named 'Docherty", "who" was wounded in

the shoulder by a revolver bullet, and a boy ten years old, a .telegraph messenger, who was wounded in the foot by a revolver bullet. The patients are doing well

. The premises of a number of warehouses in the City and many of the larger shops are picketed through the,night. Members of their staffs are armed with revolvers, prepared, for lawless intruders, j