THE ENGINEERS' STRIKE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 256, 4 November 1897, Page 2

THE ENGINEERS' STRIKE.

A public meeting under the auspices of the Eight Hours' League and Auckland Trades and Labour Council was held last night in the Tailoresses' Hall, Cook-street, for the purpose of taking steps to assist the engineers in the United Kingdom who have been thrown out of employment by the lock-out. About 70 persons were present, including several ladies. Mr A. Rosser presided. He said they looked forward to the engineers' struggle with feelings of interest. The people on strike were in sore need of sympathy. In New Zealand the days of strikes might be looked upon as things of the past, for they had the Arbitration and Conciliation Act to work under. In the Old Land they had no Conciliation Act. The principle for which the engineers were striking was what New Zealand wished to uphold. (Applause.) The men locked out were entitled to their sympathy. The men had called out for funds and the meeting was called to see what could be done towards acceding to the request. Mr Rosser also apologised for the absence of Mr Napier, who, he said, was suffering from cold. Mr A. Bruce, Secretary for the Amalgamated Society of Engineers in Auckland, addressed the meeting. He gave a history of engineers'' strikes, and first dealt with the great lock-out in 1552, and the cause of it. He said the steps then taken were steps in defence of liberty. The strike in Australia for the eight hours day was dealt with by the speaker, and also the strike of seven or eight years ago on the north-east coast of England. The present struggle of the engineering trade was not a strike, said Mr Bruce, it was a lockout. The eight hours day was not the only question involved, but there was a machine question. Automatic machines had been introduced into the trade which required non.experts to attend them. When they got out of order, however, the mechanic was required to put them in order, really cutting his own throat. They only claimed the right that mechanics should attend the machines while they were in the engineering shops. Only a limited number of employers, however, disputed that right. Mr Bruce made reference to a cablegram in which an error occurred, stating that the head engineer had said the engineers were defeated. The word "if" was omitted from this cablegram. They would never be defeated so long as they had funds, and if a great number were not locked out no doubt they would succeed. The speaker quoted figures to show that the statement of want of funds must fall to the ground. They had he said, £110,000 invested in corporation bonds. These bonds would be realised if there was want of money. The men were not likely to give way when it was a matter of principle and liberty. (Applause.) Mr Bruce concluded by reading the amounts expended by the Engineers' Society in the various benefits during the past 45 years, and which totalled the sum of £4,392,918.

Mr Geo. Fowlds then gave a stirring address in which he expressed his sympathy and approved of the eight hours day. He said that the result of the struggle could never be in doubt. The speaker also attacked an article which appeared in the " Herald" on the engineers' strike, and said he had not come across such bad logic and self contradiction for a long time. Mr Fowlds sat down amidst great applause.

Mr Chas. Watson said he regretted the small attendance. It did not speak well for Auckland. He moved :—That this meeting of workers, while deploring strikes, as detrimental to the best interests of a nation, desires to record its sympathy with the British engineers in their struggle to obtain eight hours as a working day. Mr Creamer seconded. The motion was carried unanimously. Mr F. A. Cleveland moved, " That this meeting respectfully urges the New Zealand Government to push on the Eight Hours Bill now before the House ; also that Government employees be brought under the operation of the Bill." Miss Boyd seconded and the motion was carried.

It was agreed that a copy of the resolution be forwarded to the Premier.

It was stated that subscription lists could be obtained from the League and Council.

The Chairman suggested that a mass open meeting should be held at an early date with a view to assisting those locked out.