THE STRIKE.

Evening Star, Issue 15344, 19 November 1913, Page 9

THE STRIKE.

AUCKLAND'S COAL SUPPLIES. AN EMPLOYER'S OPINIONS. BLAMES THE GOVERNMENT. [Special to the Star.] AUCKLAND, November 18. So far such coal as has been unloaded at Auckland wharves- has been diverted directly to the country to supply the wants of dairy factories and of other consumers. • No definite answer has teen given to the question as to when a start will be made to discharge the heavy cargoes of coal now afloat "in the harbor, so a 6 to cope with the local shortage, which, in the easo of small consumers who were caught _ short-stocked, is causing very great inconvenience. Tho chairman of She Harbor Board explained this morning that although cargo was being promptly handled,, tho pressure on the wharfage space within the protected area was verygreat, and there was little possibility of Die colliers being worked this week. 'The Mayor said this morning, in connection with inquiries on the same point, that the:e was no reason why coal supplies should not be available for the trams to resume running when the Exhibition opened in, a fortnights time. One does not require, however, to look very far beneath the surface to realise that the Tramway Company are very discreetly avoiding a clash with their employees, and are postponing the evil day as long as may tie. It _ may ho stated with certainty that if the issue were placed before them at tho present time tramway men would find it "inconvenient" to resume after their "lockout" until tho whole industrial dispute had been finally adjusted. —Labor's Point of View.— Tt is this problem which is realised by such worldly-wise employers as the Auckland Tramway Company, and is beginning to be realised by many others who have got over the first frenzy of excitement about the "Red Federation." There is a growing feeling of impatience at the Government inaction. "When 6,000 men, of whom 5,000 are Arbitrationists, deliberately stay on strike for two weeks," said a prominent employer to your representative, "it is surely not too much to expect that the matter is one for statesmanlike investigation. Negotiations for settlement in Auckland were broken off by the announcement from the Prime Minister that .there should be a Dominion settlement, lor which negotiations (which proved fruitless) were being conducted in Wellington. We in Auckland, who are not blinded by this unyielding attitude adopted by the Employers' Federation, must realise, that of all tho unions now on strike and in keen sympathy with the strikers all but two are Arbitrationists. Wo must realise, also, that every union, in Auckland except the waterside workers and tho drivers turned the United Federation down, and will turn it down again when this trouble ;s over. It is not the Federation they are fighting for; it is union smashing they are lighting against. The Government have a weak case when they allow this country to be put to enormous expense to support the Employers' Federation and the shipping companies in taking np the uncompromising stand that compulsory arbitration must be adopted by the unions when the Trades Union Act is still sound law. It is absurd and hysterical," he concluded bitterly, "to say that the Federation of Labor, must not be allowed to run this covntry. The great mass of the unions nad declared against tho Federation, but the Government procrastinated by not providing needed amendments to the Arbitration Act which 90 pea- cent, of the workers cf this country have been patiently waiting for." —Sidelight on Strike Fever.— Ihe outcome of a meeting of carpenters held last night serves to indicate the feeling which is actuating the men on strike. A delegate was sent up from Wellington by the, Dominion Executive of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners 'Specially'to endeavor, to persuade the men to go back to work. It was stated that the Auckland UnioD was the only one in the Amalgamated Society to break its agreement, and that if the union returned to work by Thursday the employers would be prepared to pay at the rate of Is 6d per hour, the wage for which carpenters have been fighting for years. The proposal put before the men was that they would go back to work on Thursday, and while not expressing approval of the" strike should donate £250 to the fund for the relief of the women and children affected ; and, further, the single Men should fix a 5 per cent, and the married men a 2£ per cent, levy .on their wages for the same object. The promise of-the increased rate of wage in the proposed Dominion award, now due, was made unofficially, but with authority. The men, however, indignantly objected to what they called a bribe to the strikers to smooth the way for the carpenters to return to work. Onlv about 20 supported the pioposal, and "the remainder carried a vote of confidence in tie Strike Committee. MAYOR OF AUCKLAND ON THE POSITION. A DECIDED IMPROVEMENT. AUCKLAND, November 18. Ihe Mayor (Mr C. J. Parr), seen by a reporter this afternoon, said that the outlook for an end to the strike was brighter. Men were daily returning to work, and matters were developing every day in the direction of the only possible settlement the collapse o ( tho general strike, •'I am glad," said the Mayor, "that order is being maintained throughout the community. Matters aTe moving on steadily, and business is gradually becoming normal. Next week there will be coal for the trams-, and there is no reason why the service should not be running again bv exhibition time." ■ , _ RECORD LOADING.

AUCKLAND, November 18. A new record in the loading of butter from t.ho wharf to a ship's hold has been made by tho men now working at the Opawa. Tho steamer is taking a very lavgo cargo of produce for tho London market, including about 45,000 661b boxes of butter, which in the. largest quantity over taken from Auckland in one steamer AVork upon the Opawa was begun on Friday, and during 26 working hours up till 5 p.m. today 27,581 boxes of butter were .stowed in tho ve?sel, the average for tho whole period being slightly over 1,060 boxes per hour. As the average up till the end of the previous day's work was under 1,000 boxes, it is evident that the cargo was handled very rapidly to-day. The previous record was made when the I'.rahine was loaded at an average of 1,000 boxes per hour for 25 hours by men who were regarded as experienced waterfide workers. Tho high speed has not b"fm secured by a sacrifice of efficiency, as the work has been done in a thoroughly satisfactory manner. Ninety-five men were" working the Opawa to-day, five hatches were' being uwd. Wool, copra, butter, tallow, pelts, and kauri gum were loaded. AUCKLAND SPECIAL CONSTABLES. A Dunedin resident is in receipt, of a letter from an Auckland-special constable, who writes: —" Our camp is carried on precisely the samo as a military one, each company doing a five-hour guard. I have just come off after being on duty since 10 o'clock last night. Alarms have been frequent. I was very fortunate to have been one of those selected to, proceed by motor to the water dam at Waitakeri, each man being armed.' Word had gone through that strikers had been seen in the locality of the dam armed with gelignite. We went quite prepared for any emergency being accompanied by a medical man and two ambulance men. It proved a hoax : probably the imaginings of one individual. We are issuing a newspaper (typewritten)! Sports are held when convenient. Last night (Thursday) wo had a fine smoke concert, the artists comprising Auckland':; leading vocalists."

NAPIER. SEAMEN GIVE NOTICE. NAPIER, November 18. As .a result of further telegrams from the Wellington Seamen's Union, tho crews of Messrs" Richardson and Co.'s Ruru, Fanny, Weka, Tangaroa, end Te Aroha, and the North British Freezing Company's steam lighter Ahuriri, all gave 24 hours' notico to - ccaee work. Somo of tho vessels a.?e out of port, but tho notice will take effect within tho course of two or three days. LABOR FEDERATION'S MANIFESTO. AN APPEAL TO "FIGHT ON." [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, November 18. A manifesto by the executive of the United Federation of Labor _ was handed to a importer to-day. It is addressed to the workers of New Zealand, and is as follows: The position of the workers now engaged in a light against the annihilationof their organisations is stronger than ever. On every hand advices_ reach us that there is tha same determination to • carry on tho struggle to a successful issue. Tho Employers' Federation have decreed that the rinions of labor must be all of them forced under fho_ .Tgis of the Conciliation and Arbitration Act. Against this coercion labor rebels. We are not against Arbitration for those •■ who want Arbitration, but we are against an arbitrary demand forced by tho threat .of starvation that compulsory arbitration shall prevail. The law of the land doss not demand it, and we as citizens refuse to submit to it. Voluntary arbitration we will, and have always been, prepared to allow those who desire to adopt it at the request of the employers. We will not depart from that attitude. During the progress of tho struggle the press of the plutocracy have, with characteristic brazenness, by a process of misstatements, endeavored to inflame the public mind against the United Federation of Labor, of which the waterside workers form a part. The cry has been raised again and -yet again that our plan of organisation is " impracticable." " (1) It is so practicable as to bo the very reason why it is alarmingly branded impracticable. Enemies of ideas don't waste powder and shot on them if tho ideas are impracticable. (2) In respect to the Federation, the wish is father to the jeer of " impracticable," but notico, you worker, that the country rings with denunciation of the Federation. If it is an " impracticable" Federation, why the Employers' Federation as counter revolution? Why tho venomous Press attack? Why tho angry onslaught upon all the Federation stands far?

(3) It is quite clear that it is because the United Federation have accepted methods so positively practical as to make it for all workers a magnet in spite of its youth. (4) What tho United Federation have been able to becomo in a few short months and the power they have wielded eloquently attests to what they may be in a few more years, and tho power they may wield ; hence the combined unscrupulous attack. We call upon all organisations affiliated and non-amiiated that have so magnificently declared for class loyalty to light on as grimly determined as ever to realise that by tho preservation of unbroken ranks victory is certain—victory doubly sweet because fought for. First came tho armed invasion of our cities, but no surrender of the righting workers. Secondly, the brutal assaults, but still no surrender. Thirdly, the unwarranted arrests of Young, Semple, Holland, and ethers upon antediluvian charges; yet no turrender. Lastly, the establishing of free labor unions and the adulation of free labor, but-solid still the workers' ranks; and now Labor stands united as _ before, and determined as- never before. ' The spirit that carried that torch in humanity's darkest hours is not dead, but is awakened again ha tho hour of trial. Throughout New Zealand the fight is on. Let us close up our ranks and swear eternal fidelity in the cause and in each other—all for each and each for- all. To do that means solidarity, absolute and certain victory. On behalf of the United Federation of Labor. (Signed) John' Dowgray (Acting President). P. Hicket (Secretary and Treasurer). THE ATHENIC'S DEPARTURE. [Pee United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, November 18. Just_ four weeks to-morrow the waterside workers of Wellington held a stop-work meeting, and finding some of their places filled when they went back to make a start declared themselves on strike Since then the trouble has spread over all New Zealand, and the principal ports have been sealed to trade almost as effectually as if bottled up by a foreign enemy, so far at lease as oversea traders are concerned. It is almost a fortnight since the Arbitrationists, flanked by hundreds of troopers, began the difficult work of unsealing tho port by loading the Athenic, and to-day, 19 days behind her schedule time, the deep-sea liner, as full a ship as under any previous- conditions, was ready, to turn her nose towards Cape Horn and Home, and the Dominion is not vet "paralysed from the North Cape to the Bluff.'' The Moana made a big hole in the wall built by the Strik'o Committee, and when the Athenic moved outward bound nt 4 o'clock this afternoon it meant another big breaoh in the encircling barrier. Tho secretary of the Seamen's Union was boastful with regard to the Athenic, which was a peculiar factor in tho trouble, since the primary producers looked to the White Star boat to bring them cheques But the crew stood loyally to their agreement, and the new Arbitrationists worked like trojans. The Athenic is to-tlay drawing 29ft Tin forward, and 32ft aft, and it is believed that her present cargo is tho biggest she has taken from this port. Last evening there was not a crate of cheese or a box of butter left in the S shed at tho Glasgow wharf, and there were some who remembered as tho liner swung away with the pilot on the bridge what Mr W. T. Young predicted : "You can fill her up to tho top of the funnel, and she will nov°r poke her nose out of Wellington harbor."

Ihe Atnomc's cargo included the fol- I lowing dairy produce :—Butter (boxes)rsew Plymouth 20,511, Patea 895 Wanganui 2,3.85, Wellington Auckland 13,830, Dunedin 400 • total' 'fc£fi 8 p ? he ?, s f £ r4 &' s > : New ?b mouth 4,936, Patea 9,11/, Wanganui 221 Weloo^°( n ?' 180 i' J - Aidant! 379; 'total, r^iS 4 , , In addition there were shipped 1.0/O bales of wool and skins 3 2'>B bales of flax, 154 casks of tallow arid pelts, 20 tons of sundries, and 1,460 carcasses of lamb. THE PATEENA'S DIFFICULTIES. WELLINGTON, November 18. The Pateewa-'s long passage of 20 hours up from Lyttelton was duo in part to bad weather, added to bad coal and bad stoking. It is stated that some of the stokehold hands suffered severely from seasickness ; so much. in fact that 12 gave notice and left the ship. The vacancies filled, however, without difficulty, and the vessel got away on time to-night. THE MOANA. WELLINGTON, November 18. The local office of the Union Steam Ship Compa'ny have received a further wireless message (per medium of the Chatham Island station) from R.M.S Moana, bound from Wellington to Sail Francisco, stating that the vessel expected to arrive at Rarotonga to-day. Tho message was despatched from the steamer last night, and was received at the office this morning. The Moana's progress, therefore, has been most satisfactory; in fact she is & little ahead of lies ttttvtsasfc iiswa,

A HORSE -MAIMED.—A CRUEL ACT. WELLINGTON, November 18. A contemptible act was committed by some unknown person at Koro Koto (Pe.tonc) either late last night or in the early hours of this -morning. Mr R. H. Jones, a wood and coal merchant, returned to his home just before midnight., and, taking a look at his two horses, which were in a. paudock, found them to be in an apparently sound condition. When going out into the paddock this morning-, however, he discovered that cue of the horses had a severe wound just above the right hind leg. Apparently the perpeirator' of the deed had used a very sharp instrument, as the wound was clean cut. about Bin long and fully 6in deep. Mr Jones summoned a veterinary surgeon as soon as possible, and the animal*,; wound was attended to. Tho owner of the horse states that he cannot sec .any reason for the cruel deed, unless his action of carting loads of wood into town had earned him the restment of somebody. GRATEFUL FARMERS. WELLINGTON, November 18. The address presented to-day to Commander Crossland and the officers and crew of tho Athenic was signed by Mr J. G. Wilson, Dominion president of the New Zealand Farmers' Union. The presentation was made by Mr E. C. Jack, Dominion secretary of the New Zealand Farmers' Union (in the unavoidable absence of Mr Wilson), who was supported bv Sir Walter Buchanan, M.P., Mr J. G. Harkness (secretary of the National Dairy As- " soeiation), and "Sir A. Leigh Hunt (Farmers' Co-operative Companies). Mr Jack emphasised tho fact that the united action of the officers and crew with the f nrmera who loaded the. vessel was quite apart from tho issue which precipitated the present unfortunate trouble. The officers and crew were actuated by a proprr spirit of loyalty, and the farmers by the vital interests of the country, which were seriously imperilled by ihe holding up of dairy and other produce. Addresses are to bo handed to the officers and crews of the following veaccls, who also faithfully performed their duties in the same exemplary manner: Rimutaka, Moana, Maie.o, Corinthic, Dorset. LYTTELTON THE STORM CENTRE. ALL WORK SUSPENDED. AN UNRULY MOR. [Per United Press Association'.] CHRISTCHURCH. November 18. The strikers at Lyttelton adopted militant tactics this afternoon, and caused a cessation of work. The action of tho waterside, workers is regarded at the port its a direct challenge to the employers to bring special constables and arbitration labor to work the ships. The Strike Committee only two or throe days ago gave an assurance publicly that their attitude would be one of purely passive resistance, and their representatives at the. City Council repeated this last night. There wa.s no warning of any kind that militant tactics had been decided on, and those concerned in shipping were trusting entirely to the men's word.

Mr P. C. Webb's meeting finished just before noon, and after the lunch hour work was resumed on tho Northern and Melbourne, and was started on the Canopus, where a gai-g of the Westport Coal Company's permanent men were engaged, and on tho schooner Eunice, whose crow made up the slings on board, railway men receiving the timber on the wharf. At the Maori 15 raceho--ses were shipped without any trouble,__and it was then 1 decided to load about 25 tons of general cargo. Four trucks were, shunted alongside, and a start was made to take it in at the forward hatch.

In the meantime a large crowd of strikers, out-of-work firemen, and others had gathered at the Post Office corner. Suddenly thei-3 was a rush to the wharf of about 200 of the crowd. With much shouting they rushed the four trucks, and pushed thorn up the line to a side track clear of the wharf. The crowd were excited, and there was much talk that no cargo must be allowed to go into the ship. At this time there were no police prosent. The station master appea.red on the scene, and ordered a shunting engine to push the trucks back to the Maori. A large number of the strikers vainly attempted to stop the trucks by jamming on the brakes, but the engine was too strong for them, in the first truck there were a number <•! railway men, and these wore ordered iv come out by the strikers, but they refused to leave, the trucks. The crowd then uncoupled _ the truck in which these men were still standing, and pushed it right up the lino towards the end of the wharf, shouting that it must go over the end into the harbor. It was brought up, however, by an empty truck, which was standing close to a etop block. Ihe strikers then switched over the points and ran the truck out on to a different lino of rails. They attempted to repeat the performance with the next truck, but the engine moved up and prevented this from being done. By this time about eight or ten policemen, under Sergeant Ryan, arrived on ihe scene, and induced the strikers to desist, and warned them that if they attempted to put the truck over the wharf there would be trouble. The strikers loudly demanded that the cargo be taken oft' the wharf, and finally this was done, amidst loud cheers from the strikers. The crowd then shouted that the work on the other ships must bo stopped too, and it was suggested that a, move should be made to the Canopus. Some of the men hesitated, but about half their number rushed along the wharf and poured on to the jetty at which the Canopus was lying. Many of them rushed on board, and ordered the permanent men to come, out of it. Each man, as ho obeyed the command, was doubly cheered. Having stopped work on the Canopus, the excited mob rushed on to the next wharf, and ehoved the trucks away from tho Northern, and also from the Melbourne, which lay at tho other side of the wharf. Tho crew of the Northern, who had been working tho cargo, were called upon by the strikers to knocu off work, and seeing that the mob would rush on board the master had the gangway hauled Up. A large crowd collected alongside tho Melbourne, whose crow had also been working. One man, evidently a seaman, w,ent on board the. Melbourne, and had a quiet talk with tho crew. By this time the strikers had succeeded in stopping all cargo work. The president (Mr F. Lurch), who had been an unconcerned spectator until then, mounted a truck and, addressing the men, said: " You have done- sufficient for one day, and all that is necessary. Leave the wharf now. Whatever may take place later on, I advise you to get oif the wharf." The men then walked quietly away. THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION. ENLIGHTENING MR COOK. HIS DUTY FROM~THETR STANDPOINT. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, November 18. _ Two hundred and fveveh unions in New South Wales, comprising 201,144 members of tho Australian Federation of Labor, have asked Mr Cook to prevent the New Zealand trouble from involving Australia.. Mr Cook replied asking for a clearer expreffiion of tha_ Federation's wishes. The Federation have now written, contending that \he New Zealand employers are attempting, by the creation oi bogus rmiona, to capture the machinery of the Arbitration Court. The Federation regard such unionists as blackings, arid the b° ate loaded by them as black. The letter affirms that the Australian Government have power to stop such boats from comin<* to Australia., seeing that they have power to etopjessels from bringing'smailpox and yellow fever. The Federation tontend th-it the Commonwealth Government oimht not to assist the big shipping companies to depress the conditions of the v orkers- in New Zealand, bitt should endorse the action of the Federation of Labor, which riflouts the o].-inion_of the majority of the citizens of Australia, vWu> are of opinion that humanity should stand before trade and somaKircs.

AT SYDNEY WHARVES. MANUKA AND WILLOCHRA. LATTER'S CARGO NOT WORKED. SYDNEY, November 19. (Received November 19, at 9.25 a.m.) The mails and luggage from the two New Zealand steamers Manuka and Willochra, which arrived yesterday, have been' landed, but no attempt has been made to" '' touch the Willochra's cargo. PRESS COMMENT. The Federation of Labor have always been for "direct action" in tiie shape of a general strike, with tho accompaniments oi intimidation, coercion, and violence. Society is now face to face with ' this danger which, was previously only the subject, of verbal threats, and tho question now to ho decided is whether this country is to be under the control of Parliament am a constitutional Government, backed «I> by tho forces of law and order,. or w.ietlier tho autocratic power which the J'-xecutive of the Federation of Labor now exercise over their branches is to extend over the people of New Zealand.—Christ-chm-ch 'Press.' IN DEFENCE OF LABOR. „. TO TIIE EDITOR. Sir,~So much latitude has been given to that portion of the public who condemn the strikers that I ask you to allow me a little space to offer a few words in their support. It has been suggested to me—kindly enough—that I can earn good pay by joining a new union formed for the purpose of breaking down the present strike; but, sir. it is not quite clear why such good things should be offered me in the present crisis, when only a meagre and miserable wasrc was offered and given me before by tho employing class. I am married, a foreigner (that is, a Scot), I pay my way, iovo my children and my homo; but why I should deem it desirable, even for their sake, to create spite and hatred where none exists or need exist I know not. I wish to sav that I believe tno aspirations of Labor." whether Reds or Ruminants, in the battle of Capital versus Labor is as divinely inspired as those of ihe shipowners, etc., who believe Ihe amassing of wealth is the Alpha and Omega of life. Ella Wheeler Wiicox says in one of her poems : 0 man bowed down with labor, O woman, young, yet old, 0 heart opprest in the toiler's breast, And crushed by the power of gold : Go on with your weary battle Against triumphant might; No question is ever settled Until it is settled right. And this is assuredly true. The capitalist broom is but another Dame Partington's. With no wisdom in the senates of the world, directed by hearts and souls «ver keeping before them tho -evolutionary processes of Nature, going on and forcing mankind as a whole to " rise on steppingstones of their dead selves to nobler things," wo need not as yet put our faith in such senates to end industrial -warfare, and, as Carlyle would say, Nature has no intention of .allowing mankind to rest till all are exalted to righteousness—not the righteousness of the warring creeds, but of the church of humanity to be.

I have, often wondered why the wealthy, if their cause be right, ever permitted the Owens, the Carlyks, the Beaconsfi 'lds, the Kingsleys. and so many others to send forth their trumpet blasts against snobbery, plutocracy, divine rights of property, and" so forth. Why, sir, Red Feds are but mild-spoken punils of great and wise men in all ages who have poured out contemptTedder and more scathing, thouch more poetic, than ever a Semple or a Young could word. The truths of Rufkin, mild and beautiful, are of no practical use to the employer: but Nature demands, if truth in soft vestures will not bring forth fair flower, as doth soft summer, then Nature will bring winter to thunder it forth, so that it shall and must be heard and bear fruit. Industrial wars are the recurring winters. Wage is not tho primary want of man. Something higher than tiie beast must tie their lot, or that of their children. "To be or not to be" is their question. It will not be settled until settled right. There i_s ever an aftermath. I await and work in faith.—l am, etc., Factory Hand. November 19. AN APPRECIATION. TO THE EDITOR. Sir.—As an old colonist I would like to compliment the strikers on tho way they have behaved eince the strike commenced. It stands out to their credit as compared with the other centres, and more likely to lead to satisfactory results than by deed-; of violence. Although not in any way connected with them, I am proud of tin way they have behaved, and think and trust the*same will continue until the strike ends.—l cm, etc., Old Colonist. November 19. " Business is dead," said a town traveller of a fancy goods firm to a Wellington reporter oh Thursday. " I have now been travelling for 25 years, and have never experienced anything like it. I went into a shop this morning, and the look the buyers gave me was quite enough; but," he added, " I had not come to talk business, but merely to show him samples of a few new lines. All the heads of departments seem to have been instructed not to buy for the present, so there is practically nothing doing save a few lines in tobacco and cigarettes. Some of the tobacconists judge .that they might run short of stocks before the port is cleared, and are buying a little ahead in case of emergencies. It's no good showing any jewellery— most of the customers say that tlie.se are. not jewellery times—aud ono cannot conscientiously say that they are. I am very much afraid that this strike is going to kill trade this Christmas."