THE STRIKE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 11 December 1913, Page 5

THE STRIKE

AT LYTTELTON. TRANSPORTERS RESUME WORK BUSY SCENE ON WATERFRONT (By Tdegvavh — Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. There is no alteration to report in connection with strike matters in the city. Transport workers to all intents and purposes have resumed work, and employers of drivers have no difficulty in getting men. Although to-day a very unpleasant thick mist was enveloping the port, work along the waterfront \v;is v carried out with the same vigour and eagerness that has characterised theefforts of the arbitrationists. since tliey commenced work-some weeks ago. Work was proceeding briskly this morning on the steamers Kaitangata, Oanopus, Flora, Kowhai, Titania, Heitrules, Kairaki and Pateena, and on the schooner Eliza Firth, Eunice, Annie Hill and Bainbridge. The last-named vessel is discharging with.her own crew. At a quarter to ten this .morning the ferry steamer Pateena arrived, and. after disembarking a large number of passengers, commenced to discharge cargo, of which she had about 100 tons. ' She will return to Wellington to-night.

POSITION AT WESTPORT GROWING DISCONTENT PORT MUST BE OPENED WESTPORT, Last Night, In reply to their request that the U;S.S. Company should run a cargo steamer from Dunedin, via way ports to Westport, the Westport Chamber of Commerce was advised that if a reasonable quantity of cargo were of- - fering, the company is willing to load a Bteamer on the East Coast for Westport, provided the members guarantee a return cargo of coal for Wellington out of "Westport, the 'nanager to he satisfied that the coal freight will be paid. If the Chamber of "Commerce fail to ship a load of coal in view of the i unsettled state of affairs, the comI pany will also require a guarantee that they will find labour to the manager's satisfaction, for- a general cargo and coal'and arrange .with, .the ". authorities for suitable- protection* to " the ship and ihpse .employed on her-., " r The Chamber of • Commerce-'-met.'to- - day and, passed a resolution *to again ask the company to send a < steamier to Westport, guaranteeing -a-:" -mini- -' mu*n freight of 600 tons of coal/ but declining to guarantee a return -ca'r-» go. It was also decided to -ask-the Mayor to call a public meeting to consider the matter of opening the port and the formation of an Arbitration Union at the waterside. The feeling of irritation over the' strike' is becoming very marked in town, and also in the coal mining "districts, and it is evident thajt some very decisive effort the port will shortly be made. At a recent meeting addressed by Mclnerney, the miner who believes ft political action, and considered the strike measures-have hopelessly failed, a very noticeable feature of his address was that when any reference of a discrediting nature was made to the strike conr.nittee, it was the first pronounced indication of the growing resentment of the public against the holding up of the port. Seven plugs of gelignite, with cape and fuses attached, were discovered this morning in the Railway Department's crane On the merchandise wharf, and the matter was placed in the hands of the police for inquiry. Two members of the Westport strike committee left overland to-day en rotfte tor Wellington, to attend a conference of the. executive. MORE HOPEFUL OUTLOOK SEAMEN ANXIOUS FOR SETTLE\MENT DUNEDIN. Last Nighi. It is understood that two delegates from the Dunedin branch of the Seamen's Union had an informal conference this morning with Mr Holdsworth, general manager of the Union Company, and that as a result . several misapprehensions were cleared up. The seamen held, a" meeting to-night and are awaiting, advice from Auckland to see whether an-, other conference can be held at Wellington between delegates from., the' two-northern centres, and Dunedin. Should it. be decKTed to hold such a conference, two delegates will leave Dunedin to-morrow morning for Wel-< lington. i From, what can be gatber-i ed "ft would appear that- Dunedin and' Auckland are now prepared to work together, to bring , about an ending to - the present unsatisfactory position, in which the seamen have been placed and enable them •to return to work. SEMPLE RELEASED SURETIES AVAILABLE Four securities have been approv--ed thus securing the release of Robert Semple, one of the strike leaders. The two sureties of £SOO .each, _. binding over Semple to keep the peace for a period of twelve iionthsj have been put up by Messrs John, . Payne, M.P., and Christian Imaiidt;. Semple was also recently remanded to appear at Auckland on 12th December on a charge arising out of the strike, bail being fixed in two sureties of £250 each. The sureties accepted are Charles Johnston and Anton Brogen. Semple was accordingly released from gaol yesterday morning. THE VANCOUVER SERVICE FLEET OF COLLIERS CHARTERED Received This Morning, 12.50 o'clock. SYDNEY. December 10. The Wiliochra will take up the Manuka's Vancouver run, sailing on Monday. It is stated here that as a result of the New Zealand strike a fleet of steamers has been chartered to cany coal to the Dominion, including two Japanese, two South African, aid. se- , veral English cargoes. NEWCASTLE COAL TRIMMERS (Received Last Night, 7.20 o'clock.) SYDNEY, ]>cember 10: j The coal trimmers at Newcastle re- ! fused to bunker tlte Maheno. j The crew and office staff are load- | ing the vessel.