STRIKE AT THE COLIBAN WATER SUPPLY WORKS.

West Coast Times, Issue 363, 21 November 1866, Page 1 (Supplement)

STRIKE AT THE COLIBAN WATER SUPPLY WORKS.

(FROM THE ARGUS SPECIAL REPORTER, NOV. 8.) At the preseut moment it may be said that the whole of the works connected with the main reservoir and the two principal tunnels, which together comprise almost all that has been taken in hand for the promised water supply from the Coliban to the gold-fields between Malmsbury and Bendigo, are stopped. The cause is the strike for higher Adages by the men engaged on Greenwood and James's contract for the Malmsbury dam and reservoir, and their interference with the workmen engaged on the other contracts of Messrs Monie and Robertson for No. 1 tunnel, and of Mr Porter for No. 2 tunnel. It is understood to be the result of more or less organisation, and to have followed a similar strike at the Geelong waterworks last week. It was on Monday morning last that Greenwood and Co.'s men, numbering about 150, declined to go to work at the usual hour, unless their wages were raised all round to 7s a day. They were then receiving 6s per day all round, while the employers on "the other contracts paid 6s 6d and 75., on the ground tßat they wanted better men. Not receiving a satisfactory reply, about ninety of the former went off in a sort of procession to where about 100 Government men were at work at day labor for 6s per day, and forced them to leave off. There was no disguise in the matter ; the men were forced from their work by threats and violent language. Mr R. H. Shakespear, the resident engineer, was present, and to meet the emergency told the men in his employ to leave off till nine o'clock, when he would protect them with police. The intimidation, however, was so thorough, that at nine o'clock only thirty men assembled, and no sufficient police force being at hand, they refused to go on, alleging that they dared not. The original strikers, whose ranks were now somewhat reinforced, went along the line to Monie and Robertson's contract for No. 1 tunnel under the railway, and asked the men what they were getting there. They replied "6s 6d and 7s per day." The strikers said " You must not take less than 75." Mr Monie (who was there) said he would pay 7s, but this did not give satisfaction, aud the men from the reservoir said authoritively that no one should work till the strike ended. Nevertheless, they allowed pumping work to go on. Mr Shakespear proceeded to Mr Porter's contract for No. 2 tunnel, at Elphinstone, where also were a number of Government day- labor men ; and he desired to see if they would stand firm to their engagement. The strikers came there too, by train, armed with bludgeons, and by direct threats of violence succeeded in making every one leave the employment. The whole of the works being stopped, the authorities in town were communicated with. Mr Christopherson, the chief engineer, came up, and a few police — five troopers and seven foot constables — were obtained from Kyneton. Mr Shakespear had told his day laborers that he should expect them to work on Tuesday, when he would protect those who came forward ; but when that day arrived the strikers were there, and were by this time so violent in their threats that with such an insufficient body of police no one dared to encounter the wrath of those who had created the disturbance. The majority of the Government day laborers all along expressed their willingness to work at 6s per day, if they were allowed ;" but the open threats restrained all but four from returning to their employment, and before ten a.m. these four were driven off their ground. Even the pumping at No 1 .tunnel was disallowed, as also had been from the first the pumping at the puddle wall of the dam of the great reservoir. At this juncture Mr Shakespear telegraphed to Mr Superintendent Winch, at Castlemaine, for police capable of putting down a disturbance created by 100 men, his object being to recommence work with the day laborers at No 2 tunnel, but two foot policemen were all that were sent along. The feeling of the strikers was now at its height. The tunnel contractors, Messrs Porter and Monie and Robertson, offered 7s per day above ground, and 8s per day under ground, but Messrs Greenwood and Co. only vaguely offered to give what the majority of the contractors were doing, and this was not accepted as satisfactory. During Tuesday night Messrs Greenwood aud Co.'s pumps were smashed, and threats were uttered to the effect that the next step would be to throw the two portable steamengines for puddling down the bank. This was prevented by the police, under Mr Superintendent Green, who was directed by Mr Shakespear to protect the site of the reservoir and the works as Government property for the time being. This last was done on Wednesday morning, when the bad feeling

of the men somewhat calmed down, and Messrs Monie and Robertson's pumps were allowed to go on working. Matters remained in this state till last night, when there was no prospect of work being resumed, Greenwood and Co.'s offer not being considered good enough, and Mr Shakespear not having authority to offer more than 6s per day to the Government day laborers should they demand it. It certainly seems odd that the men who during the wet weather were content with 6s per day, when they had to leave off work on an average two days in the week, should, now that they can work the whole week through, find their wages insufficient, the labor required being of the simplest sort. It is a feature of the affair that the masons engaged on a piece of stonework at the mouth of the reservoir absolutely refused to allow the laborers to stop them, and went on with their work all through. There are seventeen working for 10s per day, and and about twenty-seven at piece-work, earning wages averaging from 5s to 8s 6d per day. Since the strike began the men have amused themselves by parading round in procession with a banner displaying a black eagle, and a band of music composed of a solitary piccolo. The drinking shanties are in a pretty full swing of business.