THE MELBOURNE STRIKES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7539, 19 January 1886, Page 5

THE MELBOURNE STRIKES.

END OF THE DISPUTE. ;] RESUMPTION OP WORK. T iu < (REUTER'S TELEGRAM. I , f Sydney, January 18. The various steamers sailed on Saturday with non-union crews. This mora ing matters assumed their normal, co» dition. Melbourne, January 18. - ■ The Board of Conciliation, which has been decided upon to settle the differences between the shipowners and their employes, will consist of eleven members, five to be appointed by each side, and an umpire to be appointed by the ten delegates. ~ ~ i The wharf labourers went to work this morning as usual, and the loading and unloading of vessels has been actually carried on- during the day.

Advices from Melbourne, January 12, telegraphed from the Bluff last night, give the position of affairs on that data as follows :—The wharf labourers' strike has now assumed a new phase, and there is every probability of its having very serious complications. On Saturday the men's faces alongside the wharf betokened that they bad secured a victory. The men who had been brought from Adelaide to Sydney had listened to the representations of the Wharf Labourers' Union. Dissatisfaction had appeared among these men the previous night while being detained on board the steamer Carangamite, and they expressed themselves very indignant at being; kept on board all night, as they said, like a lot el convicts. On Friday night the men ■ had been asked to commence work,. baskets being handed round, but this they refused to do. Early on Satuday morning they hailed a waterman's boat, and set about releasing themselves in spite of the remonstrances of the officers of the ship.' When the boat left the ship it was hailed by a cutter containing the Secretary of the Wharf Labourers' Union. When the news that the new arrivals had agreed to join the Union spread, they were received with cheers by the crowd which had assembled on the Williamstown pier, and the men were escorted to Melbourne by train, the Union has so far provided all these men with board and lodgings. As far as can bo gathered the labourers had not signed any agreement, some of them declaring they had no intention of working at all, but simply to take a cheap trip to Melbourne. Having secured Carangamite contingent, the Whan Labourers' Union prepared to receive the Gambier from Sydney, which arrived at Williamstown early on Saturday morning. None but the Press and the owners were allowed to go on board. Circulan were surreptitiously conveyed to the shij informing the men of the position of affairs, and calling on them to support the Union men. This they agreed to do, and immediately on being landed were conveyed to hotels, and since have been supported at the expense of the Union. Immediately the shipowners heard this they telegraphed to the Union Steamship Company at Dunedin as follows; —"Fifty men engaged at Adelaide been inveigled away; meeting wish you to engage other hundred men, and will probably require a third lot." Letters have been received from the men out of employment in Tasmania and some parts of Victoria asking for work, and an engagement has been offered to these men for three months. Work at the wharves is proceeding without muoh hindrance.