AFTERNOON EVENTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 26, 31 January 1912, Page 8

AFTERNOON EVENTS.

RALLY AT LAMBTON STATION By 2 o'clock this afternoon many people* were anticipating some excitement,- and groups stood at strategic points on the ma/a route litres with eyes interestedly fixed on the • cars making northward. Some of the spectators seemed to fancy .that the cars might stop on the tracks when the town clock struck 2. At Lambton station the cars quickly piled up on Mulgrave-street, Thorndonesplanade, and Waterloo-quay, with Hie magic arms resting lazily against the overhead Jine wires. A crowd was there, chatting and smoking, and watching the movements of conductors and motormen, who were ihdiiSrent, pleasantly enough, to the curiosity which they were exciting. They stood about in clusters waiting for a "quorum" for ihe meeting at the Trades Hall. Members ol the Trades Hall and Labour Council could be seen here and there in conversation •with the tramway men. Some of these ippeared to bo in merry mood, though a feeling of tenseness was in the air. The men, generally, wore an expression of confidence, partly based, no doubt, on the measure of support promised by the two rival Labour organisations, "tlfe New Zealand Labour Party" and "the New Zealand Federation of Labour." Steadily the cars came in, and mone went out. The army of the men in blue serge increased from minute to minute, and the eager interest of the crowd grew more noticeable. Once the congregation had a comical incident, which sent laughter pealing through the summer air; Two belated traniway men were driven ap in a fish cart and deposited unceremoniously among their comrades, WAITING IN VAIN. • At intervals along Lambton-quay, before 2.30, numbers of ladies, laden with parcels, stood on the wood blocks or on the footpath looking impatiently northward for the Oars that came not. They were hoping against hope that Providence wouM somehow come to their aid -with a car, but they hoped in vain. Gradually, howevei, the news that the men were defim».t'.j- "out" (al toast for a time) spread through the town. < Already the drivers of licensed express vans, hansoms, four-wheelers, and taxicabs and members of the cycle trade are wearing tho smile which indicates an expectation of profits. The sellers and repairers of boots and shoes may also be feeling happy enough. It is mentioned that if a' strike proper U announced Wellington people may expect to ccc unusual passenger m the early morning and in the afternoon after 5 o'clock. It is possible that workers whose homes are in the city outskirts will be brought in and taken home by the cartload if to-day's meeting develops a straight-out strike. The owners of these carte are also hoping to do much transportation ot luggage between the railway stations and the homes ot people who formerly relied on the tram-cars foi- thio service. So far ac could be ascertained, absolutely the first man to leave the car was the motorman of the Brooklyn car at 1.55. " Come over here," called the secretary of a Labour union, as the car pulled dp and slid back towards Jevvoisquay. The appeal was soon met. The pole was pulled off the- wires, the motorman dropped his magnetic brake, and hopped on the cai, taking his handle*? with him. " Three cheers for the first man off," called a. Trades Union secretary, and the cheers were given, somewhat half-heartedly. A Wallace-street car shoved past with a veteran lady passenger aboard. " I wonder where she thinks she is going?" queried a cynical uniformed official, and the immediate tramway men echoed, "I wonder." At two o'clock, the time specified for the "breaking" of the system, .the cars began to pile up. Down Jervoisquay they came and stood, and waited, and waited in vain— for drivers and conductors were not laggard in leaving their cars. The order had gone forth. Union secretaries began to loom prominently. One by one the "shifts" came off the cars, which lined up, head to tail, opposite the station, and up Mul-grave-street into Aitken-street. "They intend taking the cars back to the sheds, after the meeting is over — between 4.30 and 5 o'clock," advised the secretary of a Labour union, who v,as> traversing the throng; of motormen and conductors. Speaking to a representative of The Post a conductor, in reply to a question, said : "Yes, as you see, we ars kaving' the cars as we said we would do. How long will it last? That I cannot say. 1 don't think any man of u& quite knows. Our out-of-woik funds are in good order — this has net be«n altogether unexpected. , No ,- there is not a man, so far as I ran gather, who has? refuted to 'sign up.' We want the inspector o*ut of it, and the City Council knew this weeks ago." IN PROCESSION TO THE TRADES HALL. After some delay, and after over

thirty cars had been laid up, the men assembled in force, and a call was given for a march to the Trades- Hall. ■ Previous to this Inspector Fuller arrived, and he was- jostled and, hooted by a certain section. • He, however, made hie way upstaiie in the .tramways buildings, and there was no further demon&tration. Shortly after three* o'clock the men filed into line and proceeded to the Trades Hall accompanied by several union secretaries, and about six hundred people. "* As they passed the Government Printing Ofiice they were cheered by the men. They were also cheered as they passed the wharf labourers waiting room. The procession was quiet and orderly, and practically no remarks were passed by tne tramways men. At the Trader Hall hundreds of peoolo were gathered. The men filed upstairs without demonstration to the meeting room. After the men had assembled in Jie Trades Hall it was found that the room was too small to accommodate the parties interested, and they went in a body to the King's Theatre. In the course of discussion the'president of the union strenuously exhorted the men to observe orderly conduct. , The deliberations were not open to the preas. It is expected that the meeting will last some time. CITY COUNCIL NOT TO MEET The Town Clerk (Mr. J. R. Palmer) was seen by a Post reporter shortly after 3 o'clock. He stated that no meeting of the City Council would be called to-day. The council had not yet received official intimation of a strike. He could not say whether there would be a meeting to-morrow either. Only the Abattoir Committee met this afternoon. It is understood that the Acting-Mayor was to have opened a garden fete at Island Bay this afternoon, but it was found impossible to get in communication with him. During the afternoon Mr. P. Hally (Conciliation Commissioner) visited Mr. Palmer, but it is understood that his interview was unofficial. Mr. Hally would noi; say whether he was prepared to undertake the part of intermediary. Mr. W. H. Morton, city engineer, was also with Mr. Palmer.* Itis understood' that a plan of operations has been prepared for the running of the limited service already suggested, but pending the meeting ot the council nothing can be done. The general opinion is that the cars will be ' held up for at least a few days without any service being run whatever. NEARLY £3000 A WEEK REVENUE. It may bo added that the revenue from the cars amounted to £2835 19s Id last week, and through the summer weeks averages about this figure a week. The majority of the money goes in wages— the motormen and conductors drawing about £1000 a week, and the union generally *about £1500 a week. "YOUR, FIGHT IS OUR FIGHT." conference of delegates sitting at Wellington with the object of forming a federation of freezing worke and allied trade employees passed the following resolution this afternoon : — "That this conference of delegates^ representing the freezing works and allied trades unions, sincerely .sympathises with the Wellington Tramways Union in' its struggle for justice, and hopes the men will stand firm until their demand is granted. In lighting for this principle, we recognise your fight ie our fight.