AT THE PARK.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 27, 1 February 1912, Page 8

AT THE PARK.

MASS MEETING OF THE MEN. SPEECHES BY LEADERS. By 2 o'clock this, afternoon some nun-" dreds of men and a comparatively small section of interested onlookers, including some- women and children, gathered at Newtown Park, where, it was previously announced the leaders of the strike would take the opportunity of placing the men*6 side ol the case before the public. JUSTICE WANTED. Mr. W. '1 Young was the first speaker. He said they wished to put forward the men's position in this unfortunate dispute. They very much regretted tLe inconvenience the public was being put to. The tramway men had been forced into the present position. Fuller was the only man on the inspectorial staff to whom the men objected. How was this? Was it not due to the man concerned? The tramway employees had no objection to inspectors carrying out their duties properly. (Hear, hear.) In regard to Fuller, twelve months ago the men lodged an objection to Fuller. Last July Fuller wa* before the Tramways Committee, and the Mayor, the speaker asserted, was authorised to reprimand him in his private T oom. Was a large public utility going to be tied up because of Fuller. (Cries of "No. 1 ") Tho City Council appeared to have more concern for Fuller than for the community as a whole. The tramway men had not received justice in this matter. He related what had occurred before the City Council. They did not, he declared, want law— they wanted justice. (Applause.) He recited cases of alleged injustices to conductors, and said that the men would never get justice from a tribunal which consisted of'their own employers. An independent tribunal was required. OTHER CONDITIONS. Mr. Young also declared that for the present position they had firstly to thank Councillor Fletcher, and next the Employers' Association. (Applause.) The thing had gone further now than the transfer of Fuller. He had to go out of tho service. (Cheers.) Further, there was another condition" now — that the men who were now on holiday had to be absolved from the pains and penalties of the law. They cared for no law where they were morally , right. (Applause.)" "If it is going to be battle," he said, "let us have it at once." There wa6 an indication that they were on the point of victory. The City Council knew the position of the men, and any representations for settlement would now have to come from that side. (Applause.) A MOTION PROPOSED. Mr. D. Blackie, secretary of the Drivers' -Union, said the tramway men had the support of every Union in -Wellington, and the majority of those in New Zealand. He movea :—: — "That this mass meeting congratulates the Tramway Union upon its magnificent etand for principle," and sails upon the City Council to recognise unionism by effecting a settlement of the strike upon lines agreeable to organised labour." The motion was seconded by Air. P. F. Hickey in a strongly worded speech. In the course of his speech Mr. Hickey said that the fight was no longer one between the Tramway Onion on the one hand and the City Council on the other. It was a fight against ■ organised Labour. He declared that Labour could not possibly lose, and that Labour fights were only lost by the operation of "ccabbery. There will, he declared, amid cheers," he no ecabbery here. Motor power was nowadays mostly /supplied by coal. Ho

could assure his hearers that the drivers would not handle coal to be worked hy blacklegs. The wharf labourers would decline to handle it, the seamen would not difigrac* thw orgtimaaiion hy handling it, and the znnvrr?. if the worst came to the worst, could decline to hew coal foT scabs to handle. The position, he continued, was a most serious one, and at all ccsiss unionism must win. If the men in Wellington could not win on their own account, they would have all the moral and financial support they required from outside. "IN THE BAG." "I believe," said Mr. Reardon, who was the next speaker, " that we have got Fuller in the bag now. It only remains /or us to decide when the tramways are going to be worked. Air. Reardon stated that since tho City Council had been entirely responsible owing to its incapacity for the muddiement which had taken piace. the men should make one of the conditions of a settlement an undertaking that they will be absolved from tho pains and penalties of the law. He also &aid that there should be a mare meeting of citizens to demand the resignation of the City Council. As the meeting continued the attendance was considerably augmented by new arrivals. WHEN IS A STRIKE A STRIKE? Questions are being asked about Lhe legal character of tho "knock-off" tactics of the men yesterday afternoon. The Conciliation and Arbitration ActAmendment Act of 1908 seems to give the answer clearly by the definition of strike in section 3. This section 3 states : — "In this Act the term 'strike' means the, act of any number of workers who are or have been in the employment whether of the same employer or of different employers in discontinuing that employment, whether wholly or partially, or in breaking their j contracts of service, ot in refusing or j failing after any such discontinuance to resume or return to their employment,, the said discontinuance, breach, refusal, or failure being due to any combination, j agreement, or common understanding, whether 'express or implied, made or entered into by the said workers — (a) With intent to compel or induce any. such employer to agree to terms of employment, or comply with any demands madfr by th« said or any other worker** ; 'it (b) With intent to cause loss or incon ; venience to any such employer in the conduct of his business ; or (c) With intent to incite, aid, abet, instigate, or procure any other strike ; or (d) With intent to assist workers in the employment of any other employer, and to compel or induce that employer to agree to terms of employment, or comply with any demands made upon him by any workers. (2) "In this Act the expression 'to strike* means to become a party to a strike, and the term 'striker* means a party to a strike.'* - THE PENALTY. ! Section 9 is the penal clause covering the tramway case. Subsection 1, section 9, states: — "If any person employed in any of the industries to which this section applies' strikes without having given to his employer, within one mon^h before so striking, not less than fourteen days' notice in writing, signed Uy him, of his intention to strike, or strikes before tho expiry of any notice so given by him, the striker shall be liable on summary conviction before a Magistrate to a fine not exceeding £25.!' The section makes the members of a registered union (such as the Tramway Union) individually liable. The industries mentioned in subsection 3 of section 9 include -"the working of any 'ferry, * tramway, or railway used for the public carriage of goods or passengers." A MANIFESTO A manifesto addressed to the workers of Wellington and New Zealand has been issued by Mr. Young (chairman of the Strike Committee) and Mr. Sutherland "(Tramway Union's Secretary). It states principally : "Our fight tis not against the city but against the City Council, and against it only bo far as it is an employer bent upon crushing our self-re-spect and good name, and ramming down bur throats an inspector whose very presence in a responsible post provokes irritation, hostility, and incipient mutiny." 'BUSES TO MIRAMAR. An informal meeting of the Miramar Borough Council, Mr. J. Brodie, Mayor, presiding, was held to-day to consider the question of means of transit W and from the city during the discontinuance of the running of the cars. It was decided to endeavour to arrange without delay for a regular 'bus service. EXPRESSIONS OF LOYALTY. Yesterday afternoon opportunity was taken in 'the Town Hall and tramways head office by the office staffs to meet .andfe,pass a vote of confidence in the management of the tramways, together witli warm expressions of loyalty to the heads of the department. KILBIRNIE TUNNEL. The secretary of the'Hataitai Ratepayers' Association ha* written to the City Council asking that the council put sand or boards along the Kilbirnie tunnel for the convenience of foot passengers while the cars are not running.