GRADUALLY FIZZLING OUT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXV, Issue LXV, 14 November 1913, Page 5

GRADUALLY FIZZLING OUT.

MANY MEN RETURNING TO WORK.

UNION LEADERS SAY THE FIGHT WILL GO ON.

HOT WORDS IN PARLIAMENT.

BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, Nov. 13. More bustle prevailed on the wharves to-day than has been the case since the strike began, and every day will doubtless see an increase in the activity at Glasgow wharf. Excellent progress is being made with the coaling of the Athenic by officers and crew. None of the arbitrauonists are engaged in the work. Up to last night 850 tons of bunker toal had been dumped into the vessel from the hulk alongside. Operations are proceeding night and day. Some 2500 tons have to be shipped altogether. Owing to the delay, her produce will miss the .Christmas markets in the Old Country, and there is some chagrin among the ship's company that they will not be able to spend Yuletide by "their am firesides." There need be no apprehension that the cargo taken by the vessel will not be unloaded at the Royal Albert Docks, as Ben Tillett, by his recent cablegram, would have the people believe. It appears that it is the custom on the .London docks for various shipping companies to have the same gangs of wharf hands to handle their cargo. Tkto means that in the intervals between the arrival and departure of the vessels of any particular line there is a lot of idle time. To-day the liner lonic is due at London, and the next Shaw, Savili steamer will be the Athenic, due in about 6even weeks' time, which means that after cargo operations on the lonic are completed there will be a delay of a considerable period before the Athenic reaches the London docks. It will be mid-winter, and the Shaw, Saviil gangs will be only too pleased to have work to do. During the recent dockers' strikes at Homo the Athenic was loaded for the Antipodes by free labor, and at that time Ben Tillett told the strikers that the cargo would never be unloadad in New Zealand. The reverse actually proved to be the case, for there was not the slightest demur in regard to putting out the merchandise. In fact, the strike of the Home dockers appeared to have been lost 6ight of altogether. The Athenic is now due to leave for jLondon on Tuesday. A new feature to-day along the water front was the transhipment of fruit and *ugar by the Nikau for Nelson. This is the first time in three weeks that a transhipment has been made. Many more vans and lorries were in use to-day for carting general cargo ' and the Willochra's fruit away from the ! eheds, which are crammed almost to ■ overflowing. The mixed freight for the various vessels was also driven in quite unregarded through Queen's wharf gates/within a stone's throw of which - there was a crowd, ever varying in size, of watersiders and their sympath- { isers.

The next liner to be brought alongside for unloading purposes will be the Corinthic.