RED FEDS. AGAIN

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2207, 21 July 1914, Page 5

RED FEDS. AGAIN

WHARFMEN'S MEETING ENDS IN .DISORDER

PANDEMONIUM REIGNS

A very stormy assembly was the.gpepial meeting of "the Wellington.. \Vliarf Labourers' Union which was hold last evening for thp '.purpose of dispussiiig the lieiv'scheme of waterside labour as suggested by the employ ere and to coiir sider the alterations and ' : amendnu)nts to the rules as brought down by tho Rnlos Revision. Committee, There.were about 500 members < present, consisting of ex-strikers and pj'efereilce men. At times pandemonium reigned, and thp two sectioijs had many wordy battles. It was,plainly seen" at the outset ; that the two forces wore about oveiily divided,, with the preference men slightly in the majority.' .Motions and Amendments were the order of the eyening| and .as, has been the case at previous"meptings, tho ''Red Fed l ' section were agiiiiist anj-body having,the right pf free speech except themselves. Forthe.third time, since the noiv union has been formed; thp president had to.declare the meetJijg .c}p§ed .lyithpiit any. business having been trangjioted, being oompoHed to take lip this attitude on account of the unruly, conduct of a section of exrstrike'rs, wjioUpe silwayß.made it their business to be lii attendance.

,■■'lt'was intended that the proceedings wpujd pe conducted in-camv era, ,bi]t the meeting, itself'decided to tljrtyw ppen to the Press.; '; ; ■" ; -;f .; ! iobttruotipri Beglps, ■:.' Mr.. J. ? L.■' Radcljffe, 'the president, opened by attempting: a brief explanation of the objecti of the meeting, 'but hp. Jja'd proceeded far when Mr. j, Gyrtitje moved that the discussion pn the new rujes should takp, precedence oypr thp. gmplpyerg , ! scheme of work on the waterfront; After considerable discussjoii the motion wag cfvrrieij. '■■ . / The president t'ben asked tjjp secre: tary (Mr. Jones) t° r ?ft4' thp amended rules. ' ,- ■'. ' ■ '■■.■•.-.'.'■■■ : Mr. Curticg took, strong exepptipn to this', coijrip being adopted, and pipyed that the" chainnpu".flf: the Rules RevU ; sioii Committed: (Mr. Bruton) : shpuld niqk9 his report..' •■-.-■ ' ■■■■■'' "' .. Mr.-Radsliffe, stated that if Mr. Bruton had a, report to-mako he wqujd be hgard a.t.the proper time. ■ ■ ■■'.■• •■■ At this . sta^e" jlr. ' Jones, secretary of the union-, ■ announced that he had typed put a. number of oopies, He'had given copie,s pf.'the amended., rules tq several momber.s of the union, and-if Mr, Bruton had any rejwrt to make )ie shpuld be allowed to do so. Those who had objections to make could then dp sp at'the propei'.time. ••.■ Air crows Heated. . At. this'stage a considerable' amount of heated discussion took place between the .old ;and the new hands, Mr, Bru-: ton, , was observed, suddenly to mount the platform „. and proceed to the reading of- the. revised rules, This operation :took about three-quarters pf an hour, during which there, were several interruptions,' ■ •'■-. ; '■• ■ ■ _ \Vlieu he had finished Mr. F. Curtice jumped -up lancl iinrnedia.te!y :mpved: "That the jinipn now consider that the recommendations- and suggestions , of the executive should be adopted without; further discussion." , :' ■ : : Thismotion was the signal for ipuofl disorder,. pries of "Nor No I" were heard from all parts pf tlie room, and it was some considerable tpe: before order was 'restored."<■■"" .'>• iii<>'i>f.i ! i'"' : i ■■" 'Sjibsegvc'pi)y''.Jlr;!Hill,"oiio■■■of the"preferpnee nien, proposed an amendment to the effect that the revised rules should lie,printed and'given 'to'.every member of tho union so that they might become f&miliav- ■ with -the contents and . also that discussion be adjourned till j a later.date. ',' ■■■ : . : • ; " .:'..-. "ChubH HlmQMtr- . At • this the. ex'-strikere caused: much disorder, with, cjios jof "Chuck, him oiitl"- ','SJt ; dpwn!" and such'likp, Oneinojuber ,went sqfar tpqall Mr. Hill "a dog.!' ;He was immediately qalled tipon to withdraw thp'remark, and lie did sp with very' bad grace. Above tlie noise Mr.. Hill was heard to pay that the meeting had been held for the purpose of free discussion,, but if hecouldj not get'Hhiit' no would promise them that if he only put up his hand in protest nobody would be" heard that night, as he had plenty behind, to give him support. This, statement only heaped.coals on;'th.p fire,: and pandemonium reigned supreme, pifferpnt faptipns appealed, to the ohair to havo certain remarks, wttlidrawii, and at last order was tomr porarily restored. ,-■,' .. ■' • - .' Mr, Smith, ah ex-striker,- then jump? Ed up and moved: "That the motion bo now put without further discussion."

A Surprise Manoeuvre.. : - Thp chairman aslted the Secretary to read the motion nnd the amendment; This was done. and the chairman had just managed to say ' "the amendment will have, to bo taken first," when Mr.' Campbell demanded a ballot: under Section 20, Sub-seotion 0, of tho union's rule?. Tljis move had not been anticipated by the "Red Fed" element, and it came as a surprise. . ;, • ■';■'■•• -.'■ At' this, stage an argument occurred between Messrs. Curtice and Jones as to the acopoand purpose of tho rule of ballot, the latter arguing that the former was attempting to mislead the meeting. ■ .'. " . ; -'• . . '.-■ Tlio end now came. After several unavailing attempts to Testore order, Mr, Badcliffe wae hoard to say: '"As'.'it'js impossible to go on with tho business— I dpekre 'tho meeting closed." The chairman's remarks ware received with hearty cheers from tho sido of the hall .where tho preference men had congregated and with hoots and groans frorii es-strikerav, ■■: . ■".' • '■■'•■'.'■