ACTIVITY AT LYTTELTON.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 27 November 1913, Page 5

ACTIVITY AT LYTTELTON.

VESSELS BEING WORKED. CASUAL RAILWAY HANDS RETURN. CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. In striking contrast with last there was a marked sign of activity along the waterfront at Lyttelton today, and the clamour of the steam winch was to be heard on practically every wharf. In the vicinity of the Union Company's offices.a number of mounted specials strolled about, whilst at the Coronation Hall several footmen were detailed off for fatigue duty." There was abundant supply of specials touring the approaches to the wharves, but their duties were by no means arduous, and everyone was good humoured. Shortly after 7.30 this morning H.M.S. Pyramus arrived in port from Wellington, and took up the berth vacated by her sister ship, ||he Psyche. Her arrival was not' The occasion for any excitement, and as the. specials patrolled the wharves, there was no need for an armed guard. Matters were so quiet that the ■Lyttelton Harbour Board's staff proceeded with the work of top-dressing No. 3 wharf with tar and sand. At No. 7 wharf the Federal Shire steamer Dorset was busily engaged in discharging her Liverpool cargo. The vessel w r as being worked by her own crew, and it is expected that she will proceed to Dunedin to-morrow evening to complete her discharge. Work as usual proceeded with good speed on board the Rinrataka, and in addition to the crew, there were twen-ty-five arbitrationists working. On board: the Opouri, Canopus, Breeze, Kini, and-Morning Light, discharging and loading operations were under way, but it was apparent thatthere were still vacancies' for more labour to work the ships. When the Pateena arrived this morning, there were a large number of specials on the ferry wharf to greet her, but berthing operations'...wwe earned, out "quickly. The Pateena arrived in time to, allow a connection to be. made with the second express;. Arrangements were made for discharging to-day on board the schooners Eunice. Aratapu and Eliza FirthThe Pateena alad commenced the discharge of her fruit this' afternoon, but owing to the shortage of hands, it will be necessary to transfer men from the Kini to the Pateena. To-morrow will be a very busy day along the waterfront, and it is expected that there will not be a sufficient supply of labour on hand. With two exceptions, the vessels in port to-day willVijflfcih ■■ over night, but additions will' by the arrival of the linera Marere, with 200 j tons of cargo, and Minora, with 700 tons. The New Zealand Shipping Company's Remuera is also expected from Wellington. She has about ISOO tons of cargo to land. Yesterday, members o£tbe Lyttelton Casual' Railway Workers' Union were asked by the railway authorities' to sign a, declaration df, their willingness to resume work immediately, on a penalty of being refused railway wort for all time. thirty-five.' of the members signed the declnration at cttice, and went to work; The executive of the union called meeting to be hel#at 8.30 this morning, but by the time that hour-had arrived all save about thirty of the 120 members of the union had signed the declaration and the meeting was not held. ■ „ / Matters were quiet in the city today. ' Brightling's, Haywood's, and the New Zealand Express Company's earners are back at work, protected by special constables. A few of the old men have not gone back, for some of them left town when they were paid off a week or two since," but they are expected back soon. The men have formed a new union for registration under the Arbitration Act. > . The protected n,rea- is bounded by Carlyle- Strict, 'Manchester Street, Hereford Street, and Durham Street. Carrying outside these limits can be done only by arrangement wjth a patrol.