WORK AND WAGES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 9150, 9 July 1890, Page 5

WORK AND WAGES.

THE LONDON POLICE STRIKES. POSTMEN AND TELEGRAPH CLERKS. GREAT EXCITEMENT IN THE METROPOLIS. [SY ELECTRIC TBLEGRAPB. COPYRIGHT.} [Special to Press Association.] [Received July 8, at noon.J LONDON, July 7. Ninety Bow street constables have befen reported and forty suspended for refusing duty on Saturday. Mr Raikes, the Postmaster-General, has declined to recognise the Union formed by the postmen. The delivery of the mails has been delayed owing to the attitude assumed by the men. The men will come to a final decision as to going out on strike to-night. The telegraph clerks have intimated that after Saturday next they will not work overtime. The dock clerks, who state they are worse paid than the dock labourers, are about to strike. [Received July S, at 13.15 p.m.J Hitherto the police strike has only been averted by the advice of the older men of the force. Government is pressing on the Police Pensions Bill in the House of Commons. The public are indignant at the intimidation employed by the men. Plenty of special constables are ready to volunteer. Over thirty constables who were suspended have been dismissed for refusing or hesitating to? proceed on duty when ordered. There is considerable excitement, and many messages of sympathy have been received from other divisions. The Star states that three thousand men are pledged to strike to-night. The quarrel with the postmen has reached an acute stage, and an important decision will be arrived at to-night, I Received July 8, at 8 p.m.J The police who were suspended allege that they only hesitated, and finally went on duty. Sir Edward Bradford personally enquired into the charges, and dismissed eight of the men. A crowd of a thousand persons, mostly roughs, assembled and blocked ‘Bow street, interfering with the ingress to Covent Garden Theatre, where the Prince of Wales was present. The mounted police occasionally charged the pavement and roadway, knocking many persons down. A squadron of Life Guards patrolled the streets. The crowd cheered the soldiers and constables, but hissed the police officers, and pelted them with flour and stones. The City police, and most of the Metropolitan force, are on duty, but one thousand more threaten to strike in the morning. Laxbb. The Prince of Wales was cheered on leaving the theatre. Owing to the increasing rowdyism of the roughs, additional Guards had to be summoned. A few windows have been broken, and one hotel was partially wrecked. At one o’clock heavy rain fell, and the crowd dispersed. Many of the clerks are engaged guarding the banks and rich stores. Strong reserves of police have been stationed at various points, but at present all is quiet. The Postmaster-General has given notice that if any of the postmen are off duty at five o’clock to-morrow they are to be instantly dismissed. It has been decided that postmen not on the regular establishment be placed on a pension footing. [Received July 0. at 1.20 a.in.J With few exceptions, all the police are on duty. The police constables who were dismissed addressed a meeting in Bow street in the afternoon. Some of the speakers urged . violent resistance to orders, but there was evident want of union. The older members of the force were reluctant to face dismissal. Large numbers of policemen.in plain clothes incited a crowd of five thousand rowdies in the evening, and the conduct of the mob was strongly intimidative until the Guards arrived. The mob cried, Vive VAndpchy, and sang the Marseillaise. Flower pots, crockery, bottles, rotten vegetables and pitchers of water were thrown at the police officers. The Socialists were active in urging the soldiers to side with the people. Many of the mob resisted the efforts of the troopers to maintain order, and tried to cut the reins of their horses. The foot constables were of little assistance, and it was apparent that their sympathy was with their comrades. The Southwark reserves have replaced the mutinous members of the Bow street force. A coal famine is being experienced in Dublin owing to a strike of porters. Two thousand postmen have postponed the threatened strike, in consequence of the London Trades Council having offered them assistance within twelve days. The PostmasterGeneral baa reinstated the men who I were suspended for having attended \ 'a meeting of the Union. [Pbb Press Association.] AUCKLAND, July 8. At a meeting of the New Zealand Coastal Seamen’s Union, Mr Graham was elected President, and other officers and a Committee were appointed. It was resolved to join the Trades and Labour Council. " WELLINGTON, July 8, The bricklayers, plasterers, brickmakers, masons, and labourers have formed an Amalgamated Trades Union. A Union of

fellmongera’ employees in the Wellington district has also been formed. A meeting of the Wellington Cooperative Bus Company was held this evening to discuss a proposal from Dr Grace re the purchase of the City Tramways. The matter was left to the Directors to confer with Dr Grace, and submit a report at a future meeting. It is stated that the sum is about .£IO,OOO. WESTPORT, July 8. There is no further development respecting the proposed reduction of pay in the Denniston coalmine. No demand has been made on the men, the manager simply requested them to consider whether certain reductions in easily got coal would not be fair and reasonable. The matter is under consideration. There is no dispute, and no difficulty whatever is apprehended. DUNEDIN, July 8. At a meeting of the Master Grocers’ Association, it was proposed that the hours of closing be six o’clock on four days of the week, nine o’clock on Friday, and two o’clock on Saturday. After discussion the matter was postponed for six months. It was decided to affiliate with the Master Bakers and Grocers’ Union. CARPENTERS AND JOINERS. The regular fortnightly meeting of the Carpenters and Joiners’ Society was held yesterday evening. There was a good attendance. Two members were elected and ten candidates proposed for membership. Deputations from the Bootmakers’ and Bakers’ Societies waited on the branch to urge members to support only those firms working in sympathy with Union principles. It was agreed to comply with the request. The delegates to the Trades and Labour Council gave a detailed report of the last meeting of the Council. The meeting then adjourned. A meeting of farmers and others interested will be held at Amberley at 3 p.m. on Monday next to discuss matters in connection with the Farriers’ Union.