AFTER THE BATTLE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 23 December 1913, Page 5

AFTER THE BATTLE.

MEN SIGNING ON.

DISTRIBUTION OF WORK

Froftn shortly after 9 o'clock until past 11 yesterday, ex-strikers were signing on at the K shed. A queue had been formed, and the men were admitted to the office two and three at a time. . Though the union secretary and his assistant worked quickly the signing took time. Altogether about 166 names were added to the roll, and then a halt was called, as it is not desired that the union books shall be flooded with men "for whom no work is available. The working strength of the new union last week was about 1450,- and td this number must be added the 600 or 700 members who have been engaged as seamen and firemen. They will be free from seafaring duty in the course of a day or two, and a great number of them will return to seek employment on the Altogether there are about 2100 members of the union who are entitled to preference. Of course there will be a fair number who will discontinue wharf work and return either to the country or to other employment, but even when they are gone, which may not be until after -Christmas, there will be at--mbst' sufficient new unionists to cope with. iiie. usual amount of work ofjer-. mg. Yesterday there must have been about 1500 men employed on "the whervas, and very.few of them were men who had signed otn that day. The Union Company.has all the labour that it will require, probably until after Christmas, and there are "no strikers among the fresh men engaged so far. Other companies are in the Same position-: Most of the men who have found work are employed on the deep-sea boats or with the Harbour Board. - In every case the preference rule is .being adhered to. More men will be allowed to sign on with the new union as the work .available warrants, but jhow many are u likely td get back shortly it is difficult to say. -Naturally the decision of .country workers to stay on or leave will have some effect on'this question. LATEST FROM WELLINGTON.

SPECIALS STILL ON DUTY,

- FARM LABOURERS' UNION HINTED AT.

SHEARERS' STRIKE LEVY TO CEASE.

{By TeUorftphr—Prtu A nidation.) , „ 'WELLINGTON, Laat Nighfc.< . About 300 seamen and firemen havel. now signed on on various" ships at Wellington, and a few yet manned will wait till after the _hoh-. days. •'-

As a result of the criticism of his connection with the Seamen';, Union, Mr W. T. Young to-day resigned the Presidency of the Federation, of Labour. "'.""' : '' ' "" ''"

Specials.and regular constables continue on duty at the wharf 'gates, and passes are still required of all people who would gain admittance. Ex-strikers are not being allowed on the wharves until they have signed: on with the new union/

As an outcome 1 of the Government's action; in bringing men in front the country to work the wharves during the strike, if is stated that, a movement is being started in the Wellington district to organise farm labour and obtain an award under, the Arbitration Act. It is proposed to' extend the move ment throughout New ZealarM. '■■.'; The Shearers' Association' has decided, in view, of *the, end of. the strike, to cease making a levy on; members for the relief-fund as-froin td-morrpw. ■ -Secretary Laracy says the response so far has been very satisfactory, considering the' fact- that the weather has militated against work in the shearing'sheds. .-■"

EFFECTS OF THE STRIKE.

A CANTERBURY ESTIMATE,

CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night.

Attempts were made by a reporter to-day to collect information regard-' ing tne economic effects of the strike in the city, and in ; Canterbury generally, It .was fotut)d, however, that at the best. only approximate estimates could be obtained, *lt is probable that' the total ."cost of -the strike to those actually engaged in it, ,as well as to these who were effected by it, .will never be fully known. Sdme rough estimate .of the loss iii wages that- the strikers suffered is possible j but it is extremely difficult, if not altogether impossible, to estir mate even what the district has lost owing to the stoppage of production and owing to the orders that have not been received. One estimate, admittedly only taking into account the loss in wages and part of the, loss in production, puts the total at over £20,000, the details being: Watersiders' wages £IO,OOO, drivers' wages £7OO, "fouiidries, confectioners and other workers affected by the strike, wages £3OOO, loss in production foundries, confectionery and other "wovks, £9OOO, total £22,700. The fanning community has suffered considerably, owing) to the unsatisfactory character of the first wool s£le, which was postponed from the date upon which it was. to have been held .owing to the strike, and the dislocation of transport facilities which attended it. The IcoMsequence.has.. been, .that* .there, has been a tightness of money as far' as the primary producers in Canterbury have been concerned. It is ah-, ticipated, however, that if a month's fine weather is experienced, the farming community will be,'able to reeovei itself. The crop prospects are good, provided a spell of fine - weather is experienced, '

LOYALTY REWARDED. PRESENTATION-TO BLUFF WATERSIDERS: INVERCARGILL, Last iNjght, A contingent of over a dozen.reof the Otago aiitl Soutliland dairy factories in Bluff this afternoon to make a presentation to members of the Bluff Waterside Workers' Union. The function took place in the Union's office. Mr D. Ward, jun. (Island dairy factory)

| occupied the chair, and said they { were all aware that had, not the Bluff men taken the stand they did things would have gone very hard with the dairy farmers in Southland.. The result was that whenever a ship arrived the farmers were able, to get their produce away, and were thus in a happier position than those in many of the provinces in the north. They wished to commend the loyalty of the Bluff men and* their honourable conduct in adhering to their agreement. The • various factories throughout Soufßland, together with the Wallace A. and P. Association, had subscribed the sum of £l4B 7« 6d, which he asked the secretary of the Union to accept on behalf of the members of his Union. He suggested that the sum shoula be divided .into three.parts, two-thirds to.go to the married men, and one-third to the single men. Messrs Cameron (secretary) and Whits (president) returned thanks on behalf of the Bluff WSSgrsiuers' Union. Both referred to the unexpectedness of and to the value of the donation, and said that the men would accept the gift in the spirit in which it was given., The Bluff unionists- had • stayed at ■ work because they thought it was their duty to honourably observe the agreement Ufey had entered into under the Arbitration Court. '' . CONFERENCE QF MINERS. . - WESTPpRT, Last .Night. ' A conference'of mining delegates sat at West^wrt.to-day,, and again this evening, to consider the strike,:, so far as. the miners are concerned, but it is Understood no decision has been, arrived at, and thaT~tne conference resumes to-morrow. In the meantime it is reported"that a movement is on foot at the mines with a view to,the early resumption of work.