25 YEARS AGO

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 39, 9 November 1938, Page 10

25 YEARS AGO

Drivers Join Strike

From “Tlie Dominion,” November 12, 1913

In accordance with tlie motion passed by the Wellington Drivers’ Union on Monday evening, the members of that organization struck work at noon yesterday. The number of workers affected is between 300 and 400. Tlie strike was unaccompanied by any disorder or demonstration. In the afternoon the transport of goods from the wharf still went on briskly, members of firms that employ carters, and volunteer drivers, filling the vacancies created by tlie strikers. The general strike call has met with no further response.

Mr. "Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, responding at the Lord Mayor’s banquet in the Guildhall to tlie toast of “Tlie Imperial Forces/’ said that next year they would have 150,000 sailors and marines in the Navy, the largest number on record. Although the present was freer of danger to European peace than some years ago, there must be no relaxation in the Navy’s construction. “Germany’s unbroken naval activity, the developments in shipbuilding and the activities of other Powers, require that we must make greater expenditure and exertion than we have yet made in peace time,” he said. “Therefore the Estimates for 1914 will be considerably greater. Nevertheless, tlie Government will strive for some abatement of the naval competition which is a bane and a reproach to modern Europe. Our submarine service is double that of the next strongest power. Britain does not fear comparison with other countries in seaplanes, but the time may yet come for us to supplant our dreadnoughts by submarines and aircraft. It is necessary that England should become the first nation in aircraft superiority, and we must make up our minds to the necessary outlay.”