THE LATE STRIKE

Evening Star, Issue 15373, 23 December 1913, Page 4

THE LATE STRIKE

BARRIERS DOWN'. FRUIT FROM FIJI. The last- of the barriers ereet-qd during the hectic period of the recent strike were demolished this morning, and Duncdin wharves Are an open thoroughfare again. Al.wit-,180 men were working tc-day, loading the Wurrimoo for-the North, coaling the Waijwri from the hulk Felicitas for her run to Oreymouth to-morrow, and, discharging the cargoes brought by theWaipori and the KaJpara, The last-named steamer should complete her • discharge to-morrow, and will then proceed to the Bluff to complete. She came lo New Zealand under charter 'to the Federal-Shire Company, but returns under the auspices of her own company—the New Zealand Shipping Company. Part- of the Wa.ipori's cargo consists of 2,500 cafes of Fijian banana;--, brought to Wellington by the- Wairunn. This -shipment is in. splendid iwndition. and though it will jio-t riper, in time for the Christmas trade, should Ik-- ready for ooasumpthm by this day week. So far', none of the old watersiders haw. applied to join the new union, but- there, is not a. great deal of work offering as yet. and it is understood that the ex-strikers will put in their applications for membership when the moment arrives. The rule, of the new union as to eligibility for membership is the same as t'iiat obtaining in other unions--that is, any person of good character may join. COMM KRCE PROTECTION- committee RETURN" THANKS. The following resolution was arrived at at this morning's meeting of the Dunedin Connneree Protection Committee: '1 hat- this committee, who. from the inception, hiv worked, sol el v in what they IxMicved to ho the best- interests of every class of the community, and with the following specific objects—namely, to maintain the trade- and commerce, of the port without interruption, and to assist in the preservation of law and order—desire, as representative of the citizens and on their behalf, to convoy their best thanks to all those who nave so loyally co-operated with them in the duty which they had undertaken —especially to the men fioin country and town who were prepared to assist. in the preservation of Jaw and order, as also to those men who actuallv undertook the. work at the wharves and elsewhere. They also desire, to express the hope that the future relationship hetween employers and employed in this Dominion will lie such as will make for the prosperity and happiness of all. ItEVELATIONS POSSIBLE. [SPECIAL TO THE STAR.'] WELLINGTON. December 23. The Red Federation's ofiieial organ is much chastened. In to-dav's issue no comment is made on the executive's admission of defeat. A meeting of seamen is to be. held this afternoon. It is understood that the purpose is to vindicate Mr Young's action. It is expected that the next few d'avs will, bring thrilling revelations of things done privately during recent week.-. THE RV*H FOR WORK. WELLINGTON. December 25. _ J here was a great crowd of applicants tor work on the wharves t-o-dav. A queue was formed, and such was the eongesHon that traffic was impeded. The police- had to clear the, waiting men off the wharf. The Arbitration union have a huge membership roll, which is unwieldy, and the executive are in a quandary." A special meeting has been arranged to consider the problem. The men enrolled to-day signed a conditional form: "Provided our abdications are - accepted bv the executive " } i lL t °y' { \ nurab<,r woJ *inff to-dav was .1.600. including iqq strikers, who'joined yesterday. DISAPPOINTED APPLICANT'S. AUCKLAND. December 23. Work on the waterfront is scarce. Many o! the former strikers were gathered at the wharves to-dav. but dispersed when a notice was posted up stating that no applications for .membership of the new union will be <-onsidered until after the New Year. A busy period is expected alter the holidays. THE HUNTIF MINERS. [Pek United Press Association.] AUCKLAND. December 23. llio agreement entered into between the laupin Company and the JUintlv miners provides that the union undertake, not to cancel resist ration under the Arbitration Act, The union shall expel any member who becomes connected with the Federation of Labor or any similar body, in default the com- I pany may dismiss him without notice. I Provision is made for a fortnHit's notice on either side, but employees I may be instantly dismissed for incit-iw I workers-to disregard the provisions of i any clause of an agreement or of tilArbitration Act. The union shr.ll nor ' assist in any strike till after a secret ballot, by a, four-fifths majority six weeks' notice being subsequently' given to the company. A penalty of £oOO a day is provided. The company undertake not to unnecessarily cense work and to pay -£SOO a day' to the union during- lock-outs. WESTPORT COMPANY'S INVITATION. WESTPOR-T, December 23. i- The Westport Coal Company have posted notices at (heir mines at Millertm and Denniston inviting applications for employment under the Arbitration Act. WEST COAST MINERS. WORK STARTED"!}* STATE MINE. WESTPOR-T. December 23. Delegates ot the coal miners' unions on the Const are still sitting in conference, considering matters in relation to. resuming; work. No decision we.s announced up to noon. The Union Company intimated to the miners' representatives: "We are goin<"' to protect ourselves with regard to coal Arrangements are now in train wherobv we can immediately place an order for sufficient coal to keep us going for some months." ' Thirty men at the Secldonville State mine commenced work this morniiioloading slack into trucks to supply "a Union Company order. Three shifts will be worked. Tt is understood that the men ;) re readv to enter the mine when the whistle blows. LABOR MEMBERS PROTEST. CHRISTCHURCH, December 23. Mr M'Oombs, M.P., protests emphatically against, the method adopted in connection with enrolment in regard to the Arbitration Union. The principle laid down in hundreds of awards is that- the union must be open to any worker of good character and sober habits on payment of _ a _ small entrance fee. He says this principle is violated by the new union which professes to uphold the princinles of the Arbitration Act, It was surely never the intention of the Legislature to confer upon fraudulent, spurious organisations the products of connivance between the employers and men outside the industry in • which the employers were engaged with power'to exclude from the means of livelihood the actual'workers in' an industry. . -• - THE NEW UNION. CHRISTCHURCH. December 23. Enrolment forms for the Arbitration Union were distributed to the strikers in camp to-day. Homo.were filled in, but the men are not accepting the conditions readily. They feel that under the fystem of supervision and ballot in connection with -the enrolment- victimisation will o-c-

not be permitted to be swamped bv strikers, but this seems inevitable, as there_are onlv 250 Arbitration members, and 300 at. has', must be added to meet the_ requirements of the port. • _ The port was busy to-day,'the workers including a number"'of ex-strikers.. Inquiries among the Arbitration workers., who include special-.•constables, show that many do not inteucl 'to- remain. It is probable that the new year will find raott of the strikers back at work. Some have already found other employment. The strike camp.will b? maintained until the New Year. HOPELESS FROM THE FIRST. LESSONS OF THE STRIKE. Pres3 Association—By Telegraph—Copyright SYDNEY, December 23. (Received December 23. at 10.5 a.m.) Mr D. "Watson, who lias been re-elected president of the Northern Colliery Employees' Federation, in the course, of a speech said : "The'news that tho Now Zealand strike, is over has been received with a sense of .relief. From the commencement I regarded it as hopeless, inasmuch as no intimation of it bad been received on this side of the water until it was apparent that defeat was staring them in the face. This disastrous struggle in New Zealand has demonstrated to the workers of Australia the necessity for, an organisation in which the united wisdom of the various' unions and bodies may be directed towards any trouble arising in the industrial field." " SYDNEY'S BOYCOTT ENDED. WHARF LABORERS RESUME. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, December 23. (Received December 25, at 9.50 a.m.) The wharf laborers manned the wharves without exception yesterday afternoon, creating fresh scenes of activity. During the morning it appeared doubtful whether normal conditions would bo resumed, there being no response to the dictum of the disbanded conference; but after dinner tho old hands and casual hands supplanted clerks in the handling of cargo. The vessels worked were the Niagara, (from Vancouver), the Canada Cape, the Maheno (receiving cargo for Auckland), together with the Riverina, which is due to sail for New Zealand ports on Vv'ednesday.