THE STRIKE.

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

THE STRIKE.

LATEST FROM WELLINGTON CONFERENCE STILL SITTING. (By Ttturach—Frm Juoetaton.) Wlu-LINUTON, Last Night. The Federation of Labour Conference sat all day again to-day, and is expected to lastf CTu to-morrow evening. No information is permitted to escape as to the doings of the Conference. a Representatives of the seamen and shipowners met to-day, but „ the negotiations are not yet concluded, though an announcement of the result is expected to-morrow. Mr Laracy, secretary of the Shearers' Association, received telegraphed advice to-day that the men refused to work at one of the North Canterbury stations, because. it was alleged that the owner acted lately as a special constable. The Rimutaka's departure for London to-night was delayed owing to rain. The vessel, which is the fifth to leave. for Hone ;jsince the strike began, is now in tli'e stream."

SOUTHERN COALMINES. TO BE RE-OPENED. DUNEDIN, Last Night. It is understood thjit the coal-mine managers intend to take to open .early January' those mines which have been closed' during the past ' few weeks as ' a jresjilt" qf thfe. strike, and that only those men w,ho are prepared to work under ; an'im clustrial agreement or an Arbitration* XJourt award will be employed. Tho • owners .are; it is -said» -fully. deter- j mined to close the mines for a, considerable time .unless the desirous. of - securing employment are prepared to accept the conditions I POSITION AT THAMtSJ SHIPPING BEING RESUMED. / THAMES, Last Night,* . It is expected that. the ordihary traffic between, the Thames and Auckland will be resume 4 this week. Srnce the steamer, resumed after the "strike hold-up, a i;ri-week-ly instead of the usual daily servicehas been iiin. > -This * has siderable inconvenience. Household commodities are now at normal; prices, except coal supplies, which are" scarce. Coal is being at 6s per • '-££ ifenj:. against the usual price of 32s per ton; The shortage: of steam' coal has necessitated the mining. , com-- ! panies reducing handS. " With the Talisman mine closed down, arid the recent * Waihi strike, the .Christmas j trade is not expected-to be phenomenal.

THE CCOSES HOTELS.

A TEST CASE.' " WELLINGTON, Last Nighty At the Magistrate's Court tq-daV. Fanny Pool, licensee of the Empire Hotel; Daniel Buckley, licensee' oi' the Foresters' Arms Hotel; and J. J. Firth, licensee of the City Hotel,, were charged with having disobeyed the orders issued for. the closing, of the hotels during the strike'disturbances. Counsel for the defence questioned .the validity of tlie ordefs, and 'decision was reserved in Saclx case. ACTION AT WEST PORT-. ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING OF *" CITIZENS. ! ; . ■ . , WESTPORT, Last Night. A large and enthusiastic' meeting of WAtport citizens, held to-day, formed a Defence Committee, wjth a view to the immediate opening of the port, and pledging themselves to assist the authorities in' maintaining law and ;ordei\ and " stamping out every species of intimidation. CREYiMOUTH STRIKE DECLARED OFF. GREYMOUTH. Last Night. * A meeting of the Wharf Labourers' /Union decided to-day to declare the .strike off. . j. This means tliat representation on the Central 'Strike far as GTey is concerned is withdrawn, and the .men are prepared- to- work any boat that comes, alojijg. 1 DUNEDIN WHARVES; » RETURN t)F CARGO HANDLE. D.UNEDIN, Last Night. A total of 318 men have been enj-.* ployed on the • Dunedin wharves since work/was restarted; 21 have joined ships as seamen, and t 3O returned to the country. An official return submitted to the Commerce Protection Committee this morning shows that since Ist December 6750 tons of cargo have been loaded, and 14,530 tons discharged, a total of 21,280 tons handled. STRIKER SENT*TO GAOL. ASSAULT ON ARBITRATION IST. DUNEDIN, Last Night; William .John Newman, a striker, pleaded guilty in the Police- Court, to-day to using obscene language and striking Miller, an Arbitrationist, on one of the city tramcar?. A large number of previous convictions were proved against the accused, who was sentenced to three months' imprisonment, and bound over in his own . recognisance of £SO and two sureties of £25 each to keep the peace for ,six months/ THE HUNTLY MINES. NEW UNION FORMED. AUCKLAND, Last Night. The first union of miners to be formed since the commencement of the strike trouble has Vow been registered. It is to operate in the

Huntly mines, and is known as the Taupiri Coalmine Workers' Union. It V will be remembered that the present 7 Huntly Miners' Union was formed in . support of arbitration principles, but subsequently was caught in the Red Federation net. It is understood that the rules of the new union guard against any such departure in the future, and make loyalty to the Con-, ciliation and Arbitration Act a condition of membership. ( It is expect- r . . ed that the" Taupiri mines will be opened in. the course of a day or two. ' AT SYDNEY. > POSITION UNCHANGED. (Received Last Night, 10.30: o'clock.) • SYDNEY, December 16. Matters along the waterfront to- ( day are unchanged. " ~, ■ The Unionists' Conference lias not received further information from Now Zealand, and has been adjourned till to-morrow. / ■ • : FretTlabour is working the" cargo of ; the ihumata, aijd the Canada Cape. • ""