THE STRIKE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 18 December 1913, Page 5

THE STRIKE

E NO FRESH DEVELOPMENTS. DECISION OF SEAMEN TO-DAY. (By Telegraph—Prrn Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. The Federation of Labour Conference was continued to-day, but beyond a statement that the deliberations are unfinished, no information can be gleaned from the officials. The seamen's representatives met the ship-owners to-day, but the ouly ' announcement as to the happenings thereat is contained in the following statemet by Mr W. T. Young, secretory of the Seamen's Union: "So far as the seamen are concerned, the strike ia not yet settled. Ma s meetings of our members at Dunedin, Auckland and Wellington have been arranged* for to-morrow afternoon at two o'olock, and at those meetings the final conclusions of the ship-own-ers will be submitted for ratification or otherwise. Until those meetings have.taken place, our members are not free to engage in any ship." ROBERT SEMPLE. AGAIN BEFORE THE COURT. AUCKLAND, Last Night. Robert Semple, Labour Federation organiser, was charged at the Police Court to-day with inciting persons to resist the police. Lengthy evidence was called for the prosecution, but the defence called no witnesses, relying entirely upon a legal defence. Decision was -reserved until Saturday, when a further charge of using seditious language will be heard. POSITION AT SPECIALS BEING ENROLLED. . WESTPGRT, Last Night.' - The Westport Citizens' Defence Committee is meeting daily, and great enthusiasm is shown. Applications for enrolment as special constables are coming in freely. The strike leaders continue to hold open-air meetingjs, but those who have moved about freely in mining towns state that the bulk of .the men are heartily sick of the strike, and will be glad w;hen it is oyer. RUMOURS IN CHRISTCHURCH. TIME OPPORTUNE FOR SETTLE- / MENT. , ' THE STRIKERS' CAMP. CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night Rumours of a strike settlement J have been current in the city and port to-day, but no information was to hand up till noon. The election re- , suit heartened the strikers a great deal, but the desire for a settlement is. as liefen as it has been in Lyttelton from the first, and the men seem to feel that the time is now opportune. Meanwhile the strike camp is still growing. Arrangements are being made on a large scale for striker's Christmas celebrations, including Christmas trees for the strikers' children. - Additional specials left Lyttelton today. BiE-OPENING THE MINES. MEN MUST REGISTER FIRST. , DUNEDIN, Lost Night. On what may be regarded as trustworthy information, it is reported that when the coal mines of New Zealand are re-opened in January, one of the conditions will be that all the , men returning to work must register under the Arbitration Act. The mines will not be re-opened unless they cotaiply with this condition. If there is any hesitanoy the mines will be manned one at a. time as the hands come forward. This will apply to all the coal mines in the Dominion, ANOTHER LOSS TO THE STRIKERS. A £2OO VOTE ILLEGAL. AUCKLAND, Monday. About a fortnight ago the Auckland Tramways Union met to consider the question of giving financial assistance to the watersiders, coal miners, and other men on strike, and it was then decided that' the sum of £2OO should be donated out of the union's funds. Now it transpires that the £2OO canr not be legally handed over to*-the strikers. The whole position in connection with the £2OO is to be con- „ sidered at meetings of the union to be called for to-morrow. • - ABSOLUTELY WRONG. MAJORITY OF MEN AT NAPIER WORKING. ' NAPIER, Last Night. Mr P. H. Kelly, managing director of Bichardsons and Co., asked if it was true, -a® set out in Mr W. T. Young's telegram, that the local seamen were still remaining "solid to the strike," said such a statement was absolutely wrong, the majority of the local men having returned to work. WORK AT DUNEDIN. DUNEDIN, Last Night. Since the strike began 318 Arbitrationists have been employed at Dunedin, twenty-one of whom joined ships as seamen or firemen. Another thirty have notw returned to the country, making the present total roll number 267. In the past fifteen working days 6750 tons of cargo have been loaded, and 14, 530 tons discharged at . the Dunedin wharves. Comparatively little overtime has been worked. AT SYDNEY. SHORTAGE OF REFRIGERATING SPACE. CONFERENCE AGAIN. o ADJOURNED. (Received tin's morning 12.35 o'clock.) SYDNEY. Dec. 37. A .serious shortage in refrigerating space is now being felt at this port, owing to a breakdown in the refrigerUim>- machinery oh tTie steamers Mo- . rayshire, and the refusal of the wharf labourers to handle cargo on-the Mimiro, which • were expected .to .take large shipments of frozen produce to the Home markets'. The Unionist Conference has been again adjourned, no_ cables: having been received from New Zealand.