DEVELOPMENTS EXPECTED TO-DAY.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14810, 30 October 1913, Page 8

DEVELOPMENTS EXPECTED TO-DAY.

A mass-meeting of members of the Lyttelton Waterside Union was held at 5 p.m. yesterday, and in response to tho summons practically every man atteneled. Immediately alter leaving off work the men poured into tho Coronation Hall which was soon packed to its utmost capacity. Thero were a very few men who did not trouble to attend, but th© interest in tho delicate situation which has arisen in regard to waterside workers throughout the Dominon was so keen that the absentees were a negligible quantity. Though there can be no doubt that a largo proportion of the Lyttelton men are totally opposed to extreme action in the nature of a strike, the attendance at yesterday's meeting was proof that they regard the situation as extremely critical.

The meeting was held behind closed dors, and strict precautions were taken to ensure that the proceedings should be secret. Ono of the men declared that it was the biggest meeting of waterside workers in th© history of Lyttelton.

After th© meeting a representative of "Th© Press" saw tho secretary of the Union (Mr H. R. Voyce),, who courteously but firmly ueclined to give any information as to. what had transpired at the meeting. "There is absolutely nothing for publication" he said. "We are all pledged to secrecy, and we carried a resolution that no information was to bo divulged by any of the men." Mr F. Lurch, president of the Lyttelton Union occupied the chair, and Messrs. H. R. Voyce (secretary), and Hiram Hunter, members of the Executive of the National Transport Workers' Federation had addressed the •men.

In reply to a question, Mr Voyce informed the reporter that he had _ad no official communications from Wellington regarding tho situation there or suggesting any course of action for the Lyttelton men. It is understood that the mooting decided to await instructions from the Federation of Labour Executive. This i s interpreted to mean that, if tnO executive calls on tho Lyttelton Union to go out, the men will obey the instruction. In several quarters it is expected that unless any word is received from Wellington to the contrary, the men will go to work to-day as usual, but that they will come out on strike as soon as the Executive of the Federation gives the word. It was also stated last night that .th© men had resolved not to hanello any cargo from Wellington or Auckland, or from the West Const coal ports. Greymouth and Westport, trouble having arisen at th© latter port. It is understood that some trouble was caused by the men working the collier Waitemata at Lyttelton yestorday morning. A quantity of Newcastle cod was being transferred to the hulk Lota, and ,tho men, thinking that the coal was consigned to Timaru, refused ti> put it off. On enquiries being made at the local office of the Union Company, however, it was discovered that the coal was intended for Lyttelton, and the work of -transferring the cargo was then proceeded with without 'further trouble.