PAINTERS GO BACK.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 279, 22 November 1913, Page 5

PAINTERS GO BACK.

J RESUME ON MONDAY. Tiro member of the Auckland Paint- j ers' Union, nt a meeting held this morn- ; ing, when about 350 were- present, (I*- I cided to return to work on Monday. A j special meeting of the union will he hold i on Monday night to decide what course I shall he tsrken with regard to giving I assistance to the cause of the striker?. The •painters had estimated that there were about 400 journeymen in their inj dustry affected by the strike. a.nd of | J these, only about Ufteen were not mem- j j bers of the union. They insisted that at | lan outside estimate only about fifty of I their members had returned to work, the others being roaster painters, and .-"mall | I contractors who were not in any way j , connected with their union. ; " We don't wish to have any misunder- ! standing about our attion." said thcipre- ! eident of the union tihis morning. "We j realise that we are only a smai) mm. in J thie big industrial struggle, and we came. out as a. strong protest against the victimisation of our fellow arbitrationist3 at Hnntly, anil t-lu- action of the Govern- j ment in massing a. force of epecia-i police | on the waterfront. We do not recognise j the member? of the new union that ban •been formal on the waterfront 3* fellow- ; arbitratioTiists. We realise that the ! Govermnent would not 'heeitate. to use fifteen of our own men to- form an arbitration union to break up our own organisation. Otherwise, it" I judge the feelings of our member* rightly, we would have pulled out from the Arbitration Act ouTsekes. The men were not keen to adopt tie course we finally decided upon this morning. They had to be persuaded to follow this course, and there wan a good dea.l of dissatisfaction. We think, however, that we can be. of more assistance, at work than walking about the town. The Strike Committee hi- approved of our *<tinn, and vrr ar» -;:" in ti>i> ti;:ht." lie further explained that hi- union had decided -ome time ago not to affiliat* with the United Federation, and commented upon the fact that only three of the eighteen or so members of the Strike Committee -were in any "way connected. ,\rigi the. .United Federation. Ji