POSITION AT CHRISTCHURCH.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 12 November 1913, Page 5

POSITION AT CHRISTCHURCH.

SURPRISE TOE. WATERSIDERS

ARRIVAL OF THE PATEENA.

A BIG BUSINESS CLOSES DOWN

CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night

Tho weather conditions at Lyttelton were ideal for the twelfth day of tho strike. Alike on- the waterfront and out on the harbour, absolute calm has prevailed. For two whole days, not a ship had entered or left tho port. Even in their slackest times, the watersiders had not known the like. Excepting in the immediate vicinity of tin Coronation Hall, the waterfront was almost deserted. Pickets wero told off to patrol the wharves, and rare ones whose bw>i-

r.ess took them td tho watorfront scorned to move listlessly. The fleet of steamers laid up in the stream now numbers nine, with, a total gross tonnage of 13,170. The idle steamers, with wisps of blue smoke curling lazily from their funnels, make a striking picture on the calm waters of the oxiter harbour. Apart from the coal tugs, dredges, and harbour tugs, tho only vessels left at the wharves are the .steamers Cygnet and John Henderson, and tho schooners Annie Hill and Morning Light. The disorganisation of tho Lyttol-ton-Wellington ferry service has been regarded with satisfaction by the strikers.

After the-hold-up of tho Maori last Wednesday," the Mapourika made one trip from Wellington and the Maunganui two, while tho little Queen of the South made tho round trip, with mails only. When it was announced yesterday that the Pateena was being placed in the ferry service, the news was received with incredulity by many of the strikers, wh<l confidently predicted that sho would not be able to ship a crew.

It was with considerable astonishment that they learned this morping that thei Pateena had left Wellington, manned.entirely by tho masters, officers and engineers. It was a thing unheard of. Many of them did not like it. It showed that the firemen, in this case at all events, coiuld be done without. The coming of the Pateena. wa9 a red-letter event in the history of the strike, and her arrival in port created intense : nterest, and attracted a great crowd to the wharf.

The sight of masters and mates making the ship fast under the orders of other masters and mates was a sight worth seeing, and the watersiders and masters and officers of ships laid up at Lyttelton feasted their eyes on the unique sptectacle. The Pateena arrived at Lyttelton at 12.45 p.m., and her passenger® and mails leffy by special train for Christcburch shortly afterwards. The steamer needed bunker ooal, and a hulk was hauled alongside, and soon the permanent hands of the Union Company shore staff were hard at it getting on bo<ard. The Pateena is to sail to-night on arrival of the 7.40 p.m. train, on Jjer return to Wellington. After the train with passengers had left for CJhristchurch a -movement on the part of several of the strikers oai the wharf hinted at possibilities, and a moment or two later somewhat determined attempts were made to board the vessel. They were eiasily repulsed by the police. A largo nwrnber of the strikers gathered at the' main gangway, arid F. Lurch, their President, asked permission to go on board in order to interview the men engaged in stoking the ship. {Mr Watkiasi, Marine Superintendent, informed Lurch that he could have permission to go aboard and interview the men down below, provided that the strikers promised to make no demonstration after the result of the interview was made, known. .With some-reluctance the desired promise was given, and Lurch was allowed on board, and went below. . He returned within a minute to the . wharf with a doleful countenance, and addressing the strikers, said: "Look here, men, it's no good; I've interviewed those fellows, and they admit that they Jjnve been "scabs' since they were one day old, a fid they say they are going to remain '-scabs"' 'for the rest of their life."

' This announcement was greeted 'with vigorous hooting, ajid a proposal was made to rush' the ship. Lurch and others, however, reminded the militants of the promise feiven not to make a demonstration, but a few of jbhe more militant spirits were not satisfied with this, and a proposal •was then mooted to cast off the vessel's mooring lines from the wharf. About couple of dozen strikers started ,to patrol the length of the ship, while others looked on. The officers of the boat and the police, however, had in the meantime been wariled. A sharp look-out was kept on 'the actions, of those on the wharf, and the demonstration fizzled out; " .

It. is understood fliat Lurch's "scabs" from the feeding bottle a,re engineers of the laid-up ships, working the stokehold. The other engineers are permanent hands, and Arbitrationists are acting as trimmers. < The Pa teen a eased off a few feet from the wharf, and began coaling. Messrs Aulsobrook and Co., manufacturers!, of conectionery, cocoa, and biscuits, have decided to close dofwn all portions of their factory; to-mor-row for a week or so. Some of the departments have been run shorthanded owing to the comparatively small Supply of sugar remaining in stock. This is now exhausted, and there is nothing left but'to close until the strike is over. ' There is apparently no possibility of obtaining further supplies of sugar. It is not known how long the factory will be shut down. Everything depends on the period during 'which the strike continues, or during which the shipping cannot be worked. Operations will be resumed as soon as supplies are available. One hundred and fifty persons, men, boys, and girls, will be thrown out of work temporal ily. This is tho first large manufacturing firm in Christchurch which ha-s been compelled to suspend operations. ■ . , Several members of the Chnst-chui-cli Strike Comoiittee , were engaged this morning searching for suitable premises in the city as a depot for the receipt and storage o.t foodstuffs and other artidos promised, and their distribution to families of the strikers. Tho combined Lyttelton and Christcburoh Strike Committee will decide at an early date whero the camp for the men on strike is to be. located. It is intended to commence billeting tho wives and children of the Lyttelton strikers on Friday. Neither yesterday nor today have there been any pickets visible in front of the Employers' Association rooms in Cashel Street.