COLLAPSE OF HASTINGS

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 173, 15 April 1908, Page 9

COLLAPSE OF HASTINGS

STRIKE. .' ' ——— SAKERS' DRIVERS CO BACK TO WORK ' THE' COUPON SYSTEM.' , (BT TELECKAPII. —SPECIAL CORRESrOXDENT.) ; ■ ' Hastings, April 14. The strike of the bakere' drivers lias colbpsed, and all. the nien went back to work this morning at the old rate, viz., £2 2s. per week. • The ■ Secretary of the Master Bakers' ( Union (Mr. W- Bishop), speaking ,to : a ?'Daily.! Telegraph"; reporter to-day; said that if tiio mcii had approaehod tho; bakers fairly, and given them due notice of their lcquirements, lio thought his Union would have, ; met : them/half- Tray"; by offering thorn £2 ss. per week. The men had no claim on over-, tnno, because.eachTbakcr kept sufficient carts going to;ensure- each round being completed .within!-the driver's legal day (nine hours on (Jig-oart);-and when a driver was engaged: it was impressed on 'him that his -round must bo completed in the day, and that no overtime'would be allowed. His own exporienco proved to him that men deliberately wasted their 'time,"whilst, out on', the carts, Bittins;'down in itho.'back street 3: smoking, dawdling on the way,-and .even in-playing !'.-. .football, coming, back late to claim overtime. • ; ;"v f ;>v .' V The-coupon .system, :Mt. J. BiGliop. continued,. served materially to'overthrow the »trike, because the customers of each baker . held his coupon,: and-if a; house happened, to', bo missed by the ' new; driver tho baker-' was quickly reminded of it by the fact that; tho houMiolder'knt.rouiid to thc '.sJfoPifor the bread,; which), under tho credit system, sho,'.would procured at. nearest! bakery.", TJiQ'jpdupon systes;tlius;,' to a vital! extent; rerpoved tho masters from- being'at' , the mprcyj of tho men.who _know the rounds, and 'customers'were kept ' coni- - .. .pactC;- As ja- i£s«Ut?of, a' hurried meeting,- tlie different d)alS:feys' agreed'-to help each other, in thb' i ':cohfulion,' i each undertaking not' tointcrfer l eCss*itli'. iho .cust6rilers ."of tho other. : lib 'sa'd ; tho _bakers would meet mi Wednesday;' and' teceivo a 1 deputation' • from a' meeting,' whichj'hes'understood, would ask the ' bakofs"" to -adept .tho Wellington bakets' viz;y 3Jtf:i;cash or 3s. -Id. - . por- ■ dozen ;fi}tojpons':'jrjTho>Union* wtjnld- con-i sider". tho, 'sh&estioii; pointed _ out that • tlio - conditions -obtaining • in ' Hastings and Wellington were . quite-'different, owing . to tho' of ■■ -Hastings and the outlying bad roads iii' winter- time. : Each; , baker must liavo. at least three carts, whilst ■ in a' closely (Settled city - liko Wellington ono cart could (yfslfy 1 deliver as? many as' three Hastings, cart.^'. 1 Ono cart .-in Hastings might only.#tnko<?fi)d.^loaves,':> whilst a Wellington that many at''one big hotel' or boardifig l houses At the rflamo-'time-his Union would give the matter'-evcryicon- '. gidoratidnf ■ uk" •* •It is?s?obn))le thojposition-of tho-men and "their otalm-will.bo considesed'at thc<mecting .of tliotyakers. on Wednesday .'The settlement , of tho-offers is mva-.gi'caV.moaAiirc duo to the tfictfuV effices .of 'Mr.; Wi,:X- Culver, In-spectoj^off-F^ctoneSj/and his-successor, ■:Mr. E. .JV.j-'F.,/,6folins.>wlio used,their influence ■v witli the y j.contendfng parties";.., - ; ■ -00/' i i Utt.TELEarfArn—miiss/AasociATiON.) •'■wty.viv;.v.- ■ , . Hastings, April 14. « All tlie-bakcra' drivers-who smickycster!ol*e' ''J*>"a®»V f -.-..r04.turned'ijto .their'; tesp'ective. l carts';' this 1 -morn- ■ ing , ' on6.'mastcr. baker* has agreed ;to pay the wages:,demanded/tho other bakers declined to.consider'thovmen's demands: ■■■■■■:<■ In the case of tho man who. was not taken ' back, the employer states- that ho -had decided to dispense with that'dnyer's services ■ prior to .the strike. ' , ■