The Strike.

Te Puke Times, Volume II, Issue II, 5 December 1913, Page 3

The Strike.

MEETINGS AT SYDNEY

! WILL NOT WORK N.Z,

BOATS

Sydney, Dec. 3.

A mass meeting of wharf laborers (Mr Hughes presiding, decided by a ten to one majority to continue to boycott cargo to and from New Zealand. The New Zealand Labor delegates approved of this resolution. Other cargo will be worked, which means that the Union Company's and the Huddart Parker's coastal boats will not be boycotted. This decision embodies the policy framed by the big Unionist conference at to-day's meeting. Two thousand wharf-men were present at a stop-work meeting held yesterday, all the wharves being idle. The proceedings at times were turbulent and discordant. A large section resented confining the war to New Zealand, desiring a general strike and threatening further trouble. An ordinary meeting of the Wharf Labourers Union will be held to-night.

Mr Hughes was besieged and importuned by. angry, unionists after the meeting. They' condemned the decision as contrary to the principles of unionism.

The result of the meeting is that the steamers Ulimaroa ahd Riverina will lie up indefinitely. The Union Company has despatched vessels to Tasmania and Fiji, and anticipates despatching the Manuka to Wellington on Saturday.

The-Whakatane and Indrapura commence discharging to-day. All other deep-sea ships are reieved of trouble for the present.

The hecklers of Mr Hughes demanded whether if two Union Company's boats were alongside the wharf—one going to New Zealand and the other to Tasman-ia-they had to work the latter, which meant working with free laborers. They wanted to know if they were not fighting the Union Company.

Mr Hughes replied that the men must work everything, excepting vessels to and from New Zealand. They were not dealing with companies, but with places. The meeting had decided not to work the New Zealand boats that was all. Amid hoots the turbulent 'section said that was not unionism, one crying if they had to work with free labourers there would not be enough bandages in Sydney to tie them up. The Sydney Morning Herald, commenting on the attitude of the turbulcnts, says that while unionists have decided to restrict the area of the disturbance the future is by no means clear.

IRON TRADE WORKERS

WILL NOT TOUCH N.Z.

VESSELS

Sydney,' Dec. 3

The Iron Trades Federation decided to decline to touch boats to and from New Zealand. This applies to all theiaffii Hated unions, such as blacksmiths, iron workers, and engineers.

- POSITION IN SYDNEY.

GENERAL STRIKE UN-

LIKELY

Sydney, Thursday.

A meeting of the Wharf Labourers' Union last night rescinded the previous decision to boycott all Union Company's boats, and endorsed the conference policy to hold up the Company's.vessels trading to New Zealand only.

The Maunganui has suffi2i3.it coal aboard to make the return journey, and she will bo despatched for Wellington to-morrow instead of the Manuka.

The position at Newcastle will require most careful handling or a crisis will be precipitated in connection with the Government coal loading cranes,

The Chief Railway Commissioner threatened the instant dismissal of any man refusing to coal ships.

A delegation of commercial men waited on the Commission* erand urged the necessity for caution, pointing out that should the cranes cease working the whole of the Northern coal fields, employing over 20,000 men would be thrown idle.

The Melbourne Company's Brisbane was boycotted by trimmers, because it is suspectc:! that her destination is New Zealand, though it is stated the vessel is loading for Melbourne.

The Wakatipu, loaded for Launceston, had her coal trimmed by the clerical staff,