STRIKERS' MANIFESTO.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 13 November 1913, Page 5

STRIKERS' MANIFESTO.

determined to go on

AN APPEAL TO UNIONISTS

WELLINGTON, Last Night. The Strike Committee thie afternoon made the following statement to the press:— "In regard to the arrest of members of the Executive of the Federation of Labour, the general opinion, not only of the Strike Com-, mittee, but of members of th§ Waterside Workers'-Union, is that this has only been done to try and divide the workers, that the same course has been adopted in previous strikes, and would again be attempted, and understanding xlus, the waterside workers are determined to still fight on, well knowing the fact that this is not the movement of a few men, but a large body of educated militant unionists, who desire to see an effective change made in the present conditions of the waterside worker. The arrest of Messrs Semple, Young, Holland, Fraser, and Bailey will have no effect whatever as far as we are concerned, as there are men- equally able and willing to. take their places. Telegrams have been received from all parts of New Zealand encouraging the committee to continue in their effort to organise in what they consider a fit and proper manner, well knowing that if this organisation Ts brought under tho heel of the arbitration system, which has now resolved itself into a weapon for the employers, they, too, would be subjected not onlv to the present Arbitration Act, but to any amendment Mr Massev thought lit to bring down this session. The unionists at sent under the Act see that the , Government, with the aid of the j monopolists of New Zealand, are prepared to so amend the Act as to make it an instrument of oppression for the whole of .the.workers of New Zealand, and they consider that they are now not only fighting for themselves, but also for others, in their efforts to win this fight. Offers have been received from all parts of New Zealand of tnen well cognisant of the position to fill any executive office that may require their services. As far as tiie local union is concerned not one single member has joined « what is locally known as the 'scab' organisation, and the effect of the arrests of the executive has boon to further .solidify them in their determination."