THE BOOTMAKERS' STRIKE.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 98, 24 April 1886, Page 7

THE BOOTMAKERS' STRIKE.

Benowal of Disorderly Proceedings

TgE strike in the boot trade, which etill regains unsettled, has been marked by a renewal of disorderly proceedings arising out of tbe indignation of the Union against those non-unionists who remain at work. Atfiveo'ulockon Thursday night, as the em.jm^aof Messrs Greon and Co., Wakefieldst were leaving work for the day they were hooted and otherwise annoyed by a crowd embracing a number ot bootmauers as well „ a lot of street idlers. The police were absent, and encouraged by this fact, tho crowd proceeded to march up and down displaying an effigy and placards tho reverse of complimentary to the non-strikers. While these proceedings were going on, a detachment of police, and latterly Detective Hughes, arrived on the scon 9, and arrested Lyndon Brennan for conduct calculated to cause a breach of the peace. The prisoner went quietly, and the crowd, instead of interfering with the pilice, "returned with renewed vigour to tiewor"kof|hooting. As'amannamed Wilson wisleaving Green and Co.'s factory he was mmranded by the crowd, who promised to tee Mm home. The mob followed him Wag and groaning, and uttering opprobrious epithets, and he was struck meral times by persons in the crowd. Wilson wisely refrained from retaliation, aodtook refuge in a boot shop at the Greyitreet junction until " the siege was raised" by the arrival of the police.

Tie Present Position of Affairs. Ihe strike continues with unabated earnestness on the part of the Unionists, for although the masters have agreed to make farther concessions they have not agreed to ill demands made upon them, and the employees are confident of winning in the end. During to-day the factories were closed on account of the holiday season, and there t_ of course nothing new there. The employees were present at the offico ol the Union during the day to attend meetings, furnish information, and learn the progress made towards settlement of their difficulties. Letters were received, in which the

Kuters. Agreed to Make Concessions. One comm inication stated that they would agree to meet the Union so far as to employ boys lit the rate of one to every five journeymen in the benching and finishing departments I which announcement wae reeared with a; jplause), but that in the clicking department they must Btill decline to accept the Union's terms, which are that one boy can be employed to every three men, The masters wish to employ one boy for every two men. The masters also •sked the Union to alter several other of their resolutions, viz. ,—(1) With regard to clickers' wages; (2) so aa to give the masters authority to reserve the right tbat 'pprenticea should serve two years after their time was out at reduced wages beforo they became journeymen ; (3) that the rule with reference to "skivers" and "Mockers" be struck out. The masters have agreed .to aocept rule 11, which relates tooverti—e; rule 12, which refers to boys m the pressroom; rnle 13, with reference 10 ths posting of rules affecting the work of people in factories; and rule 14, concerning the honi:s of labour. These were fully considered by the Union, and it was determined to hold out for concession in other points,

AW. from Other Societies. The Plasterers' Society have made a levy »2a6ipjt head on members in order to "■* the strikers. The Gum Sorters' ™mlt hiive also made a contribution, and aaAuckliud Timbw Company employees fere to day making up a sum of money «r the tain a object. .1' fa uuderstood that all the men are WW oat of the factories except Wilson. *-*™day several of the Union men went witoEUerslie and there discovered some Wrk being done it is said for Trenwith's __?' De Union man was Buspected ,[*! Dg employed on the job, but no proof .« mis w_ obtained. Proceedings Against Breanan. .There was a considerable representation « 'leather" about the Police Court and ««parlieus this morning, the men now out ?> strike assembling in very large numbers ft tne expectation that tho proceedings •gainst Lyndon Brennan, for carrying an ™gy would be gone on with. A large proP*pn of the assemblage crowded into the uwt-room and waited there in patience opening of business. The others, to «« number of about a hundred, remained °™ac the Court, or in High-street, 2?? ,n- for the appearance of the acrl6o and the police. No one seemed .„ W d6r- ifc Probable that the Court '"Wa be held in the Police-station. Yet 2"* was actually what took place. Mr Wnntendent Thompson, Caotain Col?«.and Mr S. Y. Colline (Justices of the ;*".) attended there for the purpose of bbvSi* M cases in whicfa evidence reiWd to be taken. While his friends and jW'thisors were congregated outside or arm il ttr*"room exchanging comments fMm singular dilatoriness of the police iJj, VWrt officials, Lyndon Brsnnan was darraigned before the tribunal of jub,r? m,tte station. He was charged with g^?n/jif the Police Offences Act of 1884, •>, and Sub-section 29, by behaving on Thursday night "aweby* breach of tho peace might have S^fioned. Sergeant Pratt, in intro-J-'Kw'edefendact, said that he was the kn,L man,wno was taken into custody on Sm • '"""V"1- an effigy in conju?^ inth a demonstration which the g§s?,a,f tho boot trade were making in j^oUVteasrs Parker, Green and Co.'s R_» !»nT P°lice were not prepared to to Jk t tae oaße > and he had therefore 4»»« 4 or a until Wednesh_V_, 'Mr T°eo. Cooper said that he m__u rctiined for the defence, and that fiL? q '"tended to make a similar applica War I aUo t0 aßk ' hat the denfend■■:i_wS? ■ be released upon hie own «oTS an, cei'' - Supterintendent Thomla_i_ Wked that ne had no objection jrZ, ™nrße being followed, provided the tti_l°_? committed no further breach of ;"«•«» the meantime. Mr Cooper re-

plied that his client would be very careful I nnL t0 _? x Ji imßelf UP in disturbv a *$ -.th.*t s? me time> he did nob admit that he had done so hitherto. Tho case was then .remanded till Wednesday, and the defendant released upon entering into his own recognisances Bren nan s re-appearance outside was the first in- !,':*? 'he crowd had that they had been sold. There was, howevor, no manifestation of fee ing, and soon afterwards tho street was clear again. rh Jlf e, ffi&y-whi* ?PPears to constitute the head and front of the offending-is in tho possession of the police. It is a doubletaccd one, and is constructed so as to personate two of the four or five men who returned, to work. By the aid of masks, one side is made to caricature Howard, and tho other side Wilson. It needs hardly to be said that if likeness there is at all, it is not by any means flattering.