STILL UNSETTLED.

Mataura Ensign, 4 November 1913, Page 6

STILL UNSETTLED.

* ■ J "•THE WELLINGTON 3TRiKE. s *i -CONFERENCE ADJOURNED. v NO INFORMATION. ] T~ ' I C FEB UNIiT!D ASSOCIATION. S 5 ■ , WELLINGTON, Nov.. 3. j At seven o'clock to-night seven dele- i ' gates representing the employers and I : seven representing the unionists met q in the, Prime* Minister's office and.discussed matters -relating to proposals for settlement. After four hours' delibera- ,' tion the conference adjourned till tc~ * morrow afternoon, no statement being - made as- to what took place. c S 'A SERIOUS AFFRAY. y \ . FOUR'CASUALTIES REPORTED. \ ' im WBLLIMGTON, Nov. 3. { A serious affray took place this even- r ~ ing at Buckle Street, by the Drill Hall, s '' and though at present it is difficult to \ get reliable details it is pretty certain i <•' that four casualties at least were the \ '■ result. 'lt seems that a crowd gathered 2 y around watching the Permanent Artil- c . * lery and special constables quartered at ( .- the Garrison HalL As these came too ] close and it was wished to get'them ' ' away a hose was turned on them. They T fell back a bit, and the hose was turned j ' ' off. Then a shot was fired from among | j the crowd, and Sergeant-Major Thomp- j ( ■ ' son. of.ithe Permanent Artillery, fell. 'I e . The crowd was next charged by the;i ;'.special constables, who were subjected;] p to a heavy fusillade of stones, lumps of j j iron and other missiles, as well as a ( t frequent peppering of revolver shots. { t .' I»; the melee-two boys and a tele- < 7 graph messenger were shot, but not ] fatally, and another artilleryman was shot. One of these is reported to be dead, but Colonel Knox, in charge of the force at the barrcaks, refused- to , give any information. It is stated that Colonel Hume secured the recall of the changing constables, and then, taking ] half a dozen artillerymen, walked down ' the.streefc to the crowd, and leaving his \ - approached and talked with the i ■, men gathered round and induced them to go away; i AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT. g, NOaNESHOT. 1 i •■ s WELLINGTON, Nov. 3. t *- v The following official statement was t \ made by Commissioner Cullen regarding < s: v the Bud le Street trouble to-night: "We i fc' cannot 'i How people to gather and block * u the thoioughfare, doing such damage as i i~. has been done. The roadway will have { | to be kept cle*ar at all costs. Crowds I I' are not going to take possession of the £ k, 'streets." He said tEat his information *f ■'was that the principal casualty was on * ' the side of law and order. Sergeantr Major Thompson, of the Permanent Ar- %,* tJUery," was struck on the head with a i* piece of rock or an iron bolt, and was <f. .taken to the hospital suffering from a ("severe scalp wound and a slight concusKp" sion of -the brain. No one was shot. < l£' According to reports sent in to head- 1 {?' quarters no shots were fired by the < £" police or, permanent men, but at least a 6 «cen shots were fired from different bU parts of the crowd. , ' Sf," Asked for an official version of th<v *&■ disturbance, Commissioner Cullen said ' |g&* thatr it arose from an attempt on the . Impart of the police to disperse the crowd *S*"* whicli for tome time had been ebngregated in the vicinity. Continued com- j £•_' plaints had been received that the crowd i *C\ was blocking the roadway and that a ( .section of the people had been using the }.,• most-abusive and insulting language. ?"• About seven o'clock a detachr ent of tlie regular police, who were mounted, tried if\ to get crowd to move on, but wiihK.\ Out ■success. Men in the crowd began IL, to interfere with the cons tables' horses p"., by matching hold of the bridles and » '".throwing things in the animals' faces. f' -Stones and other missiles began to fly. l£." It was at this time that Srrgsant-Major &' .ThomDSon was struck down. He was p" not with the' police who were- endeavorfp ing' to T disperse the crowd, but was f' r . standing on Buckle Street with the Permanent Artillery guard. The missile, Ik whatever it was, struck him on the head f. and he fell. i,-: Failing to get the people to move, | 7 *> the police warned them that the hose P"'-'would be turned upon them. This had gjv no effect whatever, but very soon the ft crowd became more angrily demonf'-': - strative and stones flew freely. There- ;'■ - upon the hose was brought into opera---.v tion. At first the water was played on ii[- to the roadway, but the crowd took k-" practically no notice, and at length the fe? > hose was turned full upon it. This I"-, caused the assemblage to "fall back ■'/* somewhat. Shots were fired by ? someone among the crowd. "Then, 'said Commissioner Cullen, "we thought it was take strong measures to clear the*streets> A small detachment of mounted police and special-constables :> was ordered out for this duty. The mf strucijon given to the men TvaS that & they were not to use either their hands

or any implements, but were merely to use their horses to clear the streets quietly. The appearance of the mounted men was greeted with further shoot ing from under the verandahs." Commissioner Cullen said that he himself saw that several shots were fired from the particular point. Two shots* were fired by one man standing under a verandah, and another man within a yard and a-half of him fired a couple more, all being at the police. No shooting was done in reply by the police, who at length succeeded in clearing the streets, and at 10.30 Colonel Knox reported to hhn that all was quiet. y ' A STRANGE OCCURRENCE. WELLINGTON, Nov. 3. Mr Falk Cohen, formerly a City Councillor, whose business place is in Willis Street, was considerably surprised by a visit from three men on Saturday night, one of whom covered him with a revolver. They wanted to know if he were a member of the Harbor Board. Mr Cohen is not a member of that body, and he said so. This apparently did not satisfy the men, who persisted that he was the Mr Cohen on the Harbor Board, and after using foul language one of them drew a revolver and pointed it at Mr Cohen. There were three men against one, and that one an elderly mast. Mr Cohen did not lose his head, however, but said to the man with the revolver: "Put that away; it might go off/' With more foul language the man with the "gun" said it was going off. "We're going to perish you," he added. His companions were, however, satisfied with Mr Cohen's explanation and proof that he was not the Mr Cohen on the Harbor Board, and they all left the shop. This incident happened in Mr Cohen's brightly-lighted shop in Willi* Street, one of the busiest streets in the city. Mr Cohen's only explanation, in his own words, was. '-I think the men were a little bit on." THE MILITARY. WELLINGTON, Nov. 3. Speaking at Newton Park yesterday Mir H. HoUand is reported to have sa.id, "They had it from Colonel Heard that the military if called out would shoot indiscriminately." Speaking to a 'Post' reporter this morning in regard to the statement Colonel Heard said, '< never said any such thing. If, unfortunately, shooting most strict control. Soldiers have to had to take place, it would be under stand" a tremendous amount of rough usage before they start to shoot. We only shoo,t when we are absolutely forced to do, as alter the Riot Act has bWn read, and not until a competent civil authority, such as a magistrate, pt;. 1 ;- tively urders us to act. The responsibility for what occurs after shooting has commenced does net rest with the soldiers, but with the civil authorities who order it."

MASTERS AND MATES

QUESTION OF FREE LABOR

WELLINGTON. Nov. 3,

"At the present juncture the shipowners have seen fit to pay the masters and officers and if free labor becomes available they will want them (the masters and mates) immediately to work the ships with free labor. This we absolutely refuse ,to do nor can we reasonably be expected to do it,", declared Captain Watvon (secretary of the Merchant Service Guild) to-day. A formal resolution has been unanimously adopted, the terms of which follow, and has been sent to the shipping companies by the guild, "That ascertain shipowners here decided to pay off the masters and officers at the present juncj ture they cannot reasonably expect the masters and officers to work-their vessels with free labor should it become aralabte." . '

An agreement of some s'gnineance has- been conrunnnati-.d by the guild on the one hand and the marine engineers (New Zealand branch only) so far as New Zealand is concerned. These bodies have decided by agreement to supnert each other in any industrial matter. It is stated that at. a c mference of the guild and the shipowners last month the employers declined absolutely to, pay masters and mates any overtime. DUNEDIN OFFICERS DISSENT. CAPTAIN WATSON. DUNEDIN. Nov. 3. A number of captains and officers of the Union Company's steamers now laid up in port called as a deputation at the 'Daily Times' office to-night to express resentment at certain statements made by Captain Watson (secretary of the Merchant Service Guild) as contained in a Press Association telegram from Wellington. The deputation said it wished to contradict oerteain statements contained in the telegram, and that at the present time paid off officers were recveiving full pay and board allowance. Even if they were off full pay,/iaid the officers, there was no question'of their cbmins: out in sympathy with the Federation of Labor. They continued that

even if free labor is brought in to work vessels they fully intended to carry out their duty].' The following telegram .was sent to Captain Watson, "Cannot agree with resolution passed as reported m Dunedin oaper, and do not understand your attitude in sympathising with Federation of Labci-, nor are we prepared to come out —Tavium, Coriima, Maitai, Kamo." WELLINGTON SEAMEN'S UNION. WELLINGTON, Nov. 3. The meeting of seamen called for noon to-day was attended by some 545 persons. Four resolutions were ea-nvrd unanimously, the most important df.-. daring that the seamen would come •out if any attempt is made to work cargo or ooal anywhere with free, labor. Confidence was also expressed 'in tne action of the local secretary (Air W. T'. Young). The meeting lasted tvro and a-half hours.

FEILDING VOLUNTEERS. FEILDING, Nov. 3. About 100 leading farmers, their sons, and business men of Teikling and others assembled, with horses ready to go to Wellington this-afternoon. The train could on.lv aceominodata 40 and>.that number was despatched with g-.eat enthusiasm. POSITION AT AUCKLAND. SHIPPING WORK STOPPED. AUCKLAND. % Nov. 3. There wan..no change in positicr on the water fioiit i:. : .. : - l-e'i-'r. ng. 'il\, picketis who ha-.v hrvi; ;:;.-■■; o:;::ig l! v wharves during the last few days ami interfering w.iieiv any atU'm.pt w madc to handle cargo continued i~.;t same duties. A mass meeting was held at eight o'clock this morning and speakers counselled the strikers to maintain their enthusiasm and activity and not to shirk the serious responsibilities of the position. The Maheno arrived from Sydnev yesterday forenoon and! the. Monowai from the south. The police were present ■in force, but the strikers appeared to ishow no more thgn- ta; passing interret in the arrival of the vessels. 'The passengers disembarked and mails and personal luggage were landed and removed by carriers as usual. The boats later wont out into stream. A number of other vessels 'have reached port, making a total of 17 now in the stream. No attempt in. the meantime has been made to work any cargo on arrivals, and all shipping operations on the wharf are totally suspended. Several of the coastal steamers have continued their usual running but carry passengers and mails only. Scows reaching port with timber, shingle, and other material are •allowed to proceed 'with discharging without interruption.

An incident that for a thee threatened ugly developments occurred in Lower Queen Street this afternoon. During the' progress of a mass meeting a young fellow in a large crowd evidently said or did something that strikers in the vicinity resented, and at once there was a flare-up. He was pushed or knocked down and the crowd moved! in tightly. The speakers on the verandah overhead) called the strikers off and counselled; orderliness, but the young man was jostled and closely followed by a. dozen or so with the public pressing in on all sides. A slow passage was worked across to the post office and there a solitairy policeman pushed through, and wias swept along with the following orowdi to Custom Street. The man was pursued as far as Shortland Street, and eventually took refuge up the stairway of the Victoria Arcade. The constable barred the way and kept the crowd back until the young .man had made his escape into the recesses of the buiklCITIZENS MEETING.

A meeting of over 100 business people, merchants, shopkeepers and others was held at the Town Hall to-day to e.oiiisidor the position in regard to the strike. The Mayor (Mr C. J. Parr) presided. The meeting set up a Finance Committee to collect funds, £SOO being subscribed in the .room inside three minutes as an instalment to nieet expenses likely to be incurred. A Citizens' Defence Committee was also set up to act in co-operation with the Mayor and the police authorities in providing special police protection. A third committee was set up to make arrangements to assist in providing accommodation for those who' were coming from country districts to act as special constables. The president of )fche Farmers' Union was present and stated that the branches of that organisation, would be ready to send hundreds of men as soon as they were wanted.

THE POLICE STRENGTHENED. During the past few diays the police authorities have been emgaged in touch with persons willing to assist in the preservation of law and order with the result that this morning Mr Eraser, S.M., was busily engaged dealing with a stream, of candidates who came to. be sworn in as special constables. Nearly

all of the volunteers were active, lusty young men between the ages of 23 and 27, and about 40 of them have been given badges. When the business of enrolment has been cone hided to-night it is probably that well over SCO sped::: men will be at the disposal of the Superintendent of Police. In addition, the work of reinforcing the regular police strength has been."steadily pushed ahead', and there is now a large emergency force of foot and mounted police from' the country stationed in th<9 city. NOTES. By a specnl resolution _ the Strike Committee has urgently enjoined members of the union to boycott hotels and restaurants -where, accommodation is provided for s->. ;:al police or free laborers. A mass of strikers affirmed a resolution thai: "if formers make signs against the workers oin strike the workers will cease to be customers of the Farmers' Co-operative Milk Suppiv Association and will appeal to all other workers to adopt the same course." 1 Urgent' meetings of members of thr Auekiiamd Union have been called for_to-morrow-morning a.ud evening to discuss the nresent strike and the attitude they will take. ! Information has been received by Mr jCanham (president of the Wate-i-sid-; Umon) that the following resolution was passed on. Friday night by the Auckland Bricklayers' Union, "That mem- [ hers of the Auckland Bricklayers' Society, in view of developments in, connection with the waterside woirkers' dispute, refiwe to h,ai>dile material brought to jobs or handled.by scab labor." AUCKLAND WHARVES DESERTED AUCKLAND, Nov. 3. Ih-'-ieen large steamers, almost the wholo of the. Northern Company's extensive coastal fl-et, a. barque, an auxiliary s ebnenrev end! am Iskul - ketch, ,are: lyin-r ifl 1 '! in the harbor. A met impress nv scene was witu'essed this afternoon when the Northern Company decided to send almost the whole of its fleet to anchorage, thus disorganising with one or two exceptions everv coastal passenger and cargo service. The whole water front presents a most dismal appearance. WORKERS AT THE EXHIBITION. AUCKLAND, Nov. 3. Four hundred workmen employed on the_ Exhibition Buildings have received notices requesting them to attend a meeting in the Trades Hall to-night to consider what action they are prepared to take in reference to the strike. It is stated that the majority of the employees receive the notices with disfavor.

, * DUNEDIN MEWS. ,-, -THE OUTLOOK GLOOMY. DUNEDIN, Nov. 3. j Despite. the strike and rumors of violence the men comprising the salvage party in connection •with the wrecked steamer Tyrone have proceeded with their task. A section of men on strike at the -Wharves have taken umbrage, and it is reported that strong hints have been given ta the party to desist. The men reported that they were ooparmerE in. the-salvage operations, the inference being that they are not working as watersMers but as a sort of partnership and primarily in their own interests. As so much depends upon speed and 4310 continuance of favorable weather, and as no serious principle seems to be involved, it is not likely that any heed will be paid to the invitation to forego further operations till the strike IB floxftlod- . The Union Company ordered the Waitomo to return, to Dunedin land on ar- " rival she will be laid up indefinitely. It is reported that she will not be sent hack to Oamaru with the present cargo "but that it will be unshipped elsewhere.

The Moeraki will be kid up here on arrival to-morrow from Melbourne. No other vessels are likely to arrive for some days and the outlook is gloomy.

A PERTINENT CRITICISM. DUNEDIN, Nov. 3. A meeting of the Dunedin branch of the Australasian Federated Seamen's Union was held this evening to discuss certain complications whichnave arisen at a result of the strike in Wellington and the seamen's connection therewith. There were ©considerably over 100 members present. The meeting, which was not open to the press, carried the following resolution, ' "That representatives of the Auckland, Wellington and Duin- . edin branches meet at Dunedin or else.l "*fe er ? *° discuss the question aa to the fejijfetKxns of the seamen to the United of Labor, and also whether ' it is desirable that an officer of the Seamen's Union should retain the rather peculiar position as an important official of the United Federation of Labor while i~e 'Organisation he is' secretaryof is not part of that body."

BUTTER FOR LONDON. AUCKLAND, Nov. 3. ! The cold stores at Auckland contain 25,000 boxes of butter intended for shipment to London by the Rimutaka, which is held up in the South. POSITION AT LYTTELTON. CREWS PAH) OFF. ' CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 3. There was no change in the situation at Lyttelton to-day, and matters were, if anything, quieter than last week. The fourth day of the Lyttelton strike •opened with almost a deserted port, the only vessels at the wharf being the ferry. steamer Maori, the collier Canopus, the -timber-laden Opouri, and the Thia. a small schooner. Out in the stream *er3 the colliers Kini an 3 Eaitahgata. There were busy times in the Government shipping office this morning, where the superintendent and his assistants were engaged' in signing off the c _ ews of several ships.

THE FERRY SERVICE. OHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 3. The seamen and firemen of the Maori are very strongly opposed to leaving their ship. The action/of the crew of ifaa Wahme has had a certain moral effect on the men in the sister ferry ship, and some of them are wavering in their determination to remain in the ship, on the score that if they do so they may -cause trouble in Wellington. In response to telegrams sent him .to-day from the Maori, Mr Belcher (secretary of the Seamen's Union at Dunedin) again telegraphed advising them to hold fast to their ship, and stated authoritatively that the men have no intention of S'ving notice. He also stated that when a Wahine's men gave in their notices bete they were influenced by bogus telegrams, purporting to come from Wellington, to the effect that the crew of t?:e Maori had given notice. OHRISTOHUBOH NjOTES. DRIVERS DIVIDED. CHRISTCBURCH, Nov. 3. It appears that the meeting of the Drivers' Union held on Saturday evening to consider the strike position was not as unanimous as reports would indicate. It was very noisy at times, and strong dissent was expressed at the suggestion that the drivers should be called out. Many of the drivers present are in steady employment and are strongly opposed to 'the union taking part in the strike. So strong is the feeling that already there is talk of steps Deing taken to form a separate union to be registered under the Arbitration Act. It is reported that out of a membership of 700 only 100 voted on the proposal to join the federation, and it ia alleged that the proposal was only carried by a majority of six. Although no definite information is being sriven out regarding the exact number of men who are enrolling at the Employers' Association's rooms, it is understood that there has been a fairly steady stream of men willing to take work on the Lyttelton wharves in the event of their services being required. Among those who have enrolled are several who have been thrown out of work owing to the strike affecting the industries in which they are, engaged.

AT NEW PLYMOUTH. TO FORM A NJSW UNION. NEW PLYMOUTH, Nov. 3. The local waterside' workers held a meeting on the wharf to-day. and repaired to adjourn till Wednesday, when rfc wiS be definitely settled what steps taken and'the question of workfna in ward Taranaki supplies only if the -strike i» not then settled will be considered. If n p; settled work will be immediately resumed. "When this decision was announced "the crew of~the Moa commenced' to un-

load 130 tons of. cement at one o'clock. A start will he made with free labor to discharge 400 tons of coal from the Kittawa. Ample free labor is available, | and steps are being'taken by a section ! of the waterside workers to secede and ; form a new union under the Arbitration Act. RESPONSE TO A TELEGRAM. NEW PLYMOUTH. Nov. 3. Free labor, with the assistance of the ! seamen, worked the Kittawa with 200 tons of coal until five o'clock, when the seamen and firemen, in response to a : telegram from their union not to work with scab labor, knocked off. Suhseijuently the officers worked the winches. LABOR M.P.'s VIEWS. ■W'ANGANTTJ; Nov. 3. M~ Ve'teh (Labor M.P.)' in an interview declared th | at > the time had ar-j rived to put the arbitration laws into | workm" order and the relationship between capital and labor revised. He expressed the opinion that in the present strike the shiwwners had not acted in the interests of the public any more than the strike leaders had. He sympathised I with the wa.ters'de workers in their present unfortunate position, but he believed that strike methods would never succeed as a permanent solution of labor troubles. "STRIKE LAW" AT WESTPORT. WESTPORT, Nov. 3. Watersid" unionists discharged chaff from the P*»giilus. The payment for the work will b9 devoted to the strike funds. This is ia new phase of the strike, and is what the local strike leaders describe as "strike law."

DANNEVIRKE DAIRY FACTORIES. D.W'NWTRKF. Nov. 3. A meeting of reivesentativps of the dairy comnanies in the Danupvirke distriot was held on Monday afternoon to consider the position as it afreets the factories. A resolution wis "dop+od <?r>proving of the action of the Government and pledging the meeting to form a comoany of men to act as emergency men and load Home steamers at any time du'inn; the export season when other help is not available if required. It was decided to communicate with other factories in the Dominion with a view of taking combined action in this connection.

ACTION AT ASHBURTON. 200 TO 300 MEN AVAILABLE. ASHBURTON. Nov. 3. Tc-clnv ft(> men enrolled at Ashburton ns free laborers or special constables. Tiie men are readv to go tn a port or whero-ver ordered their rerviees a"o required. Most of them have honws. The committee appointed at Saturday's meeting js enrolling volunteers in country districts and are finding a resdy response. It is understood that from 200 to 300 men have offered their services. BLUFF WATERSIDE WORKERS. There were some misgivings -at Bluff yesterday as to whether the watersiders would make a start or not, but doubts were quickly removed as the men turned up in the ordinary way (states the 'Southland Times'). Apart from the feeling which the men conceive as being loyalty to their fellow-workers, there seems to be absolutely mo strike proclivities among the majority of the Bluff men.

STEAMER WiTHDRAWN. 81 KtECTKIC TELEGEAPH COPTBIQHT PUR UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION. SYDNEY, Nov. 3. The Moeraki has been, withdrawn from the Australi'am-New Zealand trade. The "Union Company will not accept cargo or passengers for New Zealand until the strike is settled.