POSITION AT AUCKLAND.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 17 November 1913, Page 5

POSITION AT AUCKLAND.

ONE THOUSAND MEN RETURN TO WORK. THE STRIKE BLEEDING TO DEATH. AUCKLAND, Last Night. It is nineteen Cays since the waterside workers went on strike. Those unions which responded to the call for a general strike in Auckland have now been out for over a week. The members of fourteen unions "downed tools" when the special police took possession of the waterfront, and the number of actual strikers was put down roughly at 6000. Since then, the seamen have given notice and left their ships, and other trades have been compelled to close down, bringing the total number of people out of work up to over 7000. The tramwaymen represented an additional 700 thrown out of work through the cars ceasing for want of coal., During the week, however, it is estimated that about 1000 men have returned to work, including 400 City Council employees, 165 Exhibition workers, 300 KoteT and restaurant employees, and a number of carpenters, drivers, and general labourers. Employers generally report an anxiety on the parTTof the men to resume work.

The strike" leaders deny that there :<s any sign of weakening. Although a afrong guard; has been maintained in view of the possibility of trouble, She weeE-end has been very quiet. The strikers had a procession today, and a mass meeting in Victoria Park. Although 'there are supposed to he over 5000 men on strike, there were only 2500 in the procession, and numbers from various unions contributed to this total, which lends colour to the assertion that the strike is steadily bleeding to death. In consequence of the natural anxiety of workers to be in Auckland during the Exhibition period, employers" report that they are receiving many applications from skilled tradesmen in other parts of the Dominion for the posifions rendered vacant by the strike. The chairman of the Harbour Board reports that splendid work has been accomplished on the wharf during the past week, and that the programme originally mapped out for handling the vessels in port and thencargoes has b.een more than fulfilled. An extension of the activities is under consideration, but even if this is not" decided upon, he considers that the authorities are in a position to cope with all shipping. The vessels carrying the most urgentlyneeded cargoes have now been dealt with.