THE CASE OF WHITCOMBE AND TOMBS. SUGGESTIONS FOR SETTLEMENT.

Evening Post, Volume XL, Issue 31, 5 August 1890, Page 3

THE CASE OF WHITCOMBE AND TOMBS. SUGGESTIONS FOR SETTLEMENT.

[ONIT*P PBKBS i&SOCIATIOff. I Cffn/qTornmcff, 4th August. 'f ho Hallway Servants' Exenativo to-night roaolved i— " In consideration of not having a clear, dofinito and detailed knowledge of tho intondod plan of action by tho Mntitimo Council re tho Whltoombo and Tombs ditlloulty, tho Secretary of that body bo informod that the Exooativo of tho Amalgamated Sooiety of Railway Servants la preparod to carry ont their instruction*) whonovor received, but that it will bo neoosaary to watt for the issue of ruoU orders to ensuro united anfj uniform action ; also, as the Exeoutivo Dflmmittro intpnds to pliwo itself entirely at the iljspoß^l of the Mar}timo Oonnoil, it will be nopessary on tno part of tho latter body to inform the Commissioners of that fact." There is considerable uneasiness in Christchnroh at tho prospeot of the deadlook whioh will ensue if matters are pushed to extremes in the dispnto botwoon the Maritime Council and Whitoombo and Tombs. It has boon suggested that a " round robin " be signed asking the company to endeavour to obtain an atniaable sottfement. On the other hand some porsona wish to have the question fought out. They oonsider that if the labour party gain tho day against Whitaombe and Tombs tnsy will ero lon«f make demands against some ono else wliiob will necessitate tno battle being fought over again, andtfyeroforo it is better topnt up with the inoonvoniouoe and troubles of a " boycott " for the time, in order to settle whother tho labour patty is to be dominant or not. A private meeting of employors is being held to-night, TheTypographioal Association havo posted plakets to watch the establishment of the Company. {tnoabeen suggested that Bishop Julius be asked to arbitrate: but neither party has taken steps in that diroation. Ddnkpik, 4th August. Thero is nothing fresh to rooord respecting the dispute between the Maritime Council and Whiteombe and Tombs. Tho ieaclora of the labour movement appear to be dotormined, if it ootnn to the worst, to block the trade of Ly Helton and Ohristohuroh. Thoy regard the case as a teit one. Knowing who compose tho firm of Whitoombe and Tomba, and who are behind them, they consider 1 that tho merchants of Cht istahuroh havo decided to fight the labour pirty over this dispute, and they oonsider it is for those merohants to speak now, and either disavow their intention to fight the labour party, or accept the inevitable oonvequonces of tho struggle. Havingshown their power, the labour leaders do not wish to be preoipitato, and therefore probably no further move will be made til) the end of the weok. In the meantime all pnions have beon warded, to prepare fpc a frenpyal (jtrjke ap any moment. OHBfSTCHUROU, THIB DAT. lid Whitaombe and' Tombs, the feeling in Lyttelton 1b that if extreme measures are taken labpnr will gain the day. A private meeting of trie Canterbury Phamßer of Commerpe ia \q be he|d tbf,s ftfternoon. Th.c Dunedin Herald of Saturday says :— i' It appears by the Carriers Aot. 1880, that neither tho Union Company nor the Railway Commißsionors oan refuse to receive nargo, n)d a now moro on the part qf the Unions las b,cen necessitated, and Uje onoa has bpen bropn upon the men qf taking tjje putter; lomplgtely into ihoir own hands, We are, nfqrmod. jihap the Spatnenif Union intend surRo4'n|;i'pi<'tsi»R o4'n|;i'pi<'tsi» fliffioulty by playing the flr»tj rump pard. They will oa(l upon all seamen 0 give the requisite 24 hours' notice of panpellation of their present agreements to the ship ownors. After this they are willing to sign new articles and keep the trade ot tbo colony going, provided always that in the new articles a olause is inserted whereby no vessel shall trade with Lyttelton. In order to make this point of attack moro valuable any inflow of seamen must bo preventod, and, from what we oan gather it appears that an arrangement has been entered into with the other colonies whereby no seaman will sail with any steam Teasel ooming to New Zealand other than those already in the trade. This course will be notified to oaoh vessel as she arrives next week. The position as sketobed above is most serious and alarming. The stoppage of the carrying 1 trade ol Lyttelton manor the aomplete boycott of Ohristohuroh. Then the merohants of that oity will either have to take up their stand with Whitoombe and Tombs, and fight their quarrel, or take such measures as will bring the firm to a trne sense of the consequences of thoir attitude. Of oourse under the provisions of the Carriers Aot, Messrs. Whitoombe and Tombs oan send their goods by rail to Dunedin, to bo shipped thenco. This wonld, of course, put suoh a heavy tax on to their erfpentes as to throw them ont of competition, or if that did not snfSoe, Dnnedin would have to be treated aa Lyttelton is to 1>«. The Union will in the oourse of a few days redoive notice of this intended aot ion. The coal mines are the next point of attaok, for it is highly probable that if the Railway Commissioners persist iv the courio on which they havo determined, severe measure! will have to be taken in that direotion too, and there is a likelihood' of these ro ulting in the olosing of all coalmines throughout the colony. This matter seems to involve the unity of all the labour organisations of the colony, and they are determined to fight it ont to the death. Tho matter is now assuming a most serious aspeot, not only for the boycotted firm, but for the whole of New Zealand traders, and it is therofore to be hoped that better ooun■els will prevail, and snoh a settlement arrived at aa will prevent the extreme course sketohed above being taken."