THE STRIKES IN NEW ZEALAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8361, 15 September 1890, Page 5

THE STRIKES IN NEW ZEALAND.

CREW OF THE RICHMOND CALLED OUT.

AFFAIRS IN THE SOUTH.

MEETINGS OF UNIONISTS.

„ NO STRIKE PAY. Concerning the progress of the strike locally there are not many new developments to chronicle, save that Messrs. Donald and Edonborough have been involved in the struggle through the Maritime Council having called out the crew of the s.s. Richmond on her arrival from the Islands. The mail steamer Zealandia was discharged and coaled by free labour. THE RICHMOND. The s.s. Richmond, which ha.? a Union crew on board, arrived early on Saturday, and at eight o'clock her men were set to work to discharge her cargo. They began to unload, but almost immediately received a " call out" from the secretary of the Maritime Council, and accordingly gave the owners 24 hours' notice of their intention to leave the vessel. During the day, however, they consented to continue work at discharging the steamer. It is asserted that the men are by no means satisfied at the action of the Maritime Executive in calling them out so suddenly without giving any reasons for so doing, and that the causes advanced for this step do not commend themselves so strongly to their approval as to that of their brother Unionists already on strike. The cause of complaint against the Richmond by the Unionists is that her owners are alleged to have indirectly supplied the Union S.S. Co. with a quantity of coal for the use of the mail steamer Zealandia. THE MAIL STEAMER. As might be expected, the mail steamer Zealandia, being under contract to tho Union S.S. Co., was invoiced in the strike directly upon arrival, in so far that only free labour was employed to discharge and ceal her. Of this, however, there was plenty at hand, and a large gang of men from the s.s. Arawata and elsewhere were busy all Saturday and yesterday forenoon in taking out freight, and putting in tho necessary supply of fuel, the latter being about 300 tons. THE NORTHERN COMPANY'S VESSELS. The Northern S.S. Co.'s Wellington arrived early yesterday from her round trip to Northern" ports, and brought down from the Bay of Islands a full crew of free seamen and firemen for the s.s. Clansman. These wore placed on board that vessel yesterday, and she will leave either to-day or to-morrow for Whangarci, where it is probable a large supply of coal from Hikurangi will be shipped and brought to Auckland. THE CARTERS. The carters have returned to work, but a number of them have had some painful experiences as the work has not returned to them, their places being supplied by free labour. A number who have been accepted by their old employers again, stated they had resigned their membership in the Union, and were prepared in future to obey the orders of their employers, and cart their goods wherever ordered. Some of the carters went back to the old premises, as a matter of course and of right, and were unpleasantly undeceived when told that their services were not required. SIR F.O. GREY AN THE STRIKES. The President of the Auckland Trade* and Labour Council, Mr. Mills, arrived from Wellington on Saturday. He states that Sir George Grey has promised £50 towards the strike fund. IN THE SOUTH. The situation in the South is unchanged. On Saturday the Unionists and strikers in Dunedin held a mass meeting, but the business apparently was confined to passing resolutions denouncing the action of the railway authorities in dismissing tho four members of the Railway Servants Executive. Sir Robert Stout was to have been one of the speakers, but he did not attend. Some slight disturbances are reported in connection with the strikes from several places. No strike pay was paid on Saturday. The general committee have decided to grant relief in other ways. Press Association telegrams were received as follows: — WELLINGTON. Several additional special constables were sworn in yesterday, and they, with Friday's contingent, paraded inside the barricade on the wharf yesterday, in order to protect the free labourers when they left work. There were very few of the public present when the men knocked off at five o'clock, and the proceedings were most orderly. It is understood that with a view of preventing the calling out of the special and ordinary constables, and putting a stop to a demonstration each day, representations have been made to the Justice Department that it should insist upon the Harbour Board boarding the men, either on the wharf or | the house boat.

Numerous cases of looting tho meat safes of residents are recorded, and only yesterday one man, who was found chasing ducks in a poultry yard, got three months. Mr. 11. Fielder, furniture dealer, who is one of the specials, was rather roughly handled la.-t night while wending his way home to Newtown. In the struggle he lost a diamond ring. With this exception the town is very quiet, but there was a large crowd about.

William Henry .lerrnrd (not Gerrard as sent) .still lies in a comatose state at the hospital. A mass meeting of Unionists was held yesterday afternoon. The proceedings were quiet. At a meeting of Unionists the following resolutions were carried: — "That the meeting rejoices to hoar of the starting of a New Zealand Co - operative Steamship Company, and pledges itself in every way possible to render practical assistance to the movement. That this meeting protests a"ain.-"t the tyrannical action of the Railway Commissioners in dismissing men who have had the caurage to stand true to the principles of Unionism. That this meeting congratulates most heartily the discharged employes for their courageous attitude on behalf of labour, and further sympathises with them for their loss of position." At a meeting of ironworkers' assistants the following resolution was agreed to unanimously:—" That we agree to do any work wo are asked provided that all men engaged on the work are Unionists." Saturday was generally looked upon as " strike- day, but the general committee decided to pay over no money. The case of each man will be carefully considered, and rent or board and lodging as may be will be paid where the strikers are single or married ; and if the latter the family will be also considered, and orders for provisions be given accordingly. In case of expressmen, etc., fodder for horses will be provided. CHRISTCHURCH. This afternoon a slight disturbanco occurred in front of the Metropolitan Hotel, between non-Unionists and Union sympathisers. It is doubtful how the row began, but it appears two parties were bandying words, and one of each side got into a fight. The police came up and arrested three Union sympathisers, named Murray, Quinn, and Daly. No one was hurt.

TIMARU. A bib of a row took place here among Unionists and others. A number of men, passengers on the Omaperc, were mistaken for free labourers, and were assaulted by Paget, a Timaru Unionist, and three sailors of "the Alert. The Unionist and sailors were arrested. One passenger got rather severely handled, and another Unionist delegate from Oamaru was roughly treated. Three business men of the town were also grossly insulted on the breakwater. Bail was refused for the four men arrested. The Brunner is discharging by her crow and three non-Union men with railway men in the trucks. DUNEDIN. Everything is quiet in connection with strike matters, nothing unusual having occurred. The Unionists and strikers held a demonstration yesterday. Tho procession was headed by four pipers, followed by a band. Close on 1500 Unionists, headed by the seamen, formed in the Triangle, and proceeded down Cumberland-street to Albany-street, thence along Princes-street

to the Exhibition Ground, when the band rotunda was usod as a platform. A great many onlookers gathered in the streets, but there was'littlo or no cheering, save by Unionists, who raised a shout when passing the Globe otiieo, and hooted when passing Mrs. Silk's, where non-Union labourers put up. Sir R. Stout was to have taken part, but sent an apology, in which he referred to the action of the Railway Commissioners in dismissing four members of the executive as arbitrary. The speakers, with tho exception of Mr. W. Hutchinson, were all Unionists. Resolutions wore passed declaring the action of tho Commissioners in dismissing the four members of the Executive of the Railway Servants' Society as tyrannical, unjust, and uncalled for, and as evidently done with the view of causing a strike, an as by a direct breach of the understanding arrived at at the conference in Wellington ; that the meeting heartily thanks Sir George Groy, Messrs. Fish, Seddou, and other members of Parliament for the consistent support given to the cause of labour ; that the tour members of tho Railway Executive should be at once reinstated ; and that the resolutions be forwarded to the Government,."

The speakers charged the Railway Commissioners with assisting the Union Company in every way, and it was said that on the strength of possessing the visiting card of the Union Company's agent, Captain Pearse, men were allowed to travel free on the railways to take employment with the Union Company. Mr. Millar stated that there was no intention to call out the railway servants at present. The labour party would choose their own time for doing that. Tho Commissioners, he asserted, had laid a trap for them with the view of causing a strike, and diverting attention from the present struggle. He hoped next week to bo able to lay bofore the public full details of what was intended by the Commissioners, and lie beliovod it would open people's eyes. IN VERC ARG ILL. A public meeting was hold on Friday night, re the dismissal of officers of tho Railway Society. The idea prevailed that it was limited to Unionists, and only a hundred were present. A resolution was passed that the action of the Commissioners was arbitrary, and in violation of tho pledge given that none would be made to suffer for taking part in the affairs of the Railway Society. The opinion was expressed that the Commissioners should be thanked for showing themselves in their true colours before the election, and a motion was carried to the effect that while they acted in a needlessly harsh and arbitrary manner, tho meeting was of opinion that it was unwise of the employes to move in tho matter, which was one calling for political interference. It was also agreed to telegraph to the Southland members to do all in their power to get the men reinstated, and, in the event of non-success, the meeting would do its best to compensate the men for their sacrifice in the cause of Unionism. THE THAMES MINERS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Sunday. A special meeting of Thames Branch of Australasian Miners' Association was held in the Academy of Music last evening, for the purpose of taking into consideration what assistance the branch would give tho Maritime Council during the present seamen's difficulties. There was a very largo attendance, and amongst the speakers of the evening was Mr. C. Hannigan, secretary of the Seamen's Union, who explained tho circumstances leading up to the difficulty and the present position of affairs. After considerable discussions it was carried unanimously that each member in the branch pay a contribution of 2s fid, and also pay a levy of Gd per week whilst the strike lasts, which is to be paid to the Auckland branch of the Maritime strike fund. Tho contribution will total up to a sum of £103, and the levy to £21 per week. During the meeting a letter was read from a prominent tradesman of the town who requested his name to be suppressed, offering a contribution of lOsper week during the continuance of the strike, whilst several members at the close of the meeting tendered 7s 6d and 5s instead of 2s 6d.

At the forenoon service at St. John's Wesleyan Church, Ponsonby, tho Rev. J. H. Simmonds referred to the question of female labour in certain departments of trade, and the attempts of some of the Labour Guilds to stop it, more especially the Typographical Society. He took as the basis of his address 11. Thessolonians, iii. 10, " If any will not work, neither should he eat." After dealing with work and its necessity, ho said that this attempt to monopolise labour and to exclude women from certain employments had been provoked to a great extent by abuses. Somo had been guilty of " sweating" and keeping an undue proportion of juniors at low wages. In accordance with old world ideas women had been paid less than men for the same work. But all this was to bo altered. Thanks to a rising public sentiment and to Unionism, the days of "sweating" were numbered. As to women, tho tendency of tho age was towards putting them on a perfectly equal footing with men in every sphere in which the two sexes were naturally fitted to work together. All merely traditional disabilities were fast being swept away. In the industrial arena of the future, women must be treated with even greater consideration than that accorded them in a feudal past. They must have room for heir work, fresh air, light, warmth, and comfort. For the same nature of work they must receive the same payment as men. The thing for workmen to do was to help workmen to gain this fuller recognition and reward, not to drive them from lawful and suitable employment. When the Creator Himself had drawn the line in terms of physical strength and adaptation, let women halt, but apart from this let them never be placed at a disadvantage, or taunted with an inferiority that exists only as a traditional fungus growth in the masculine brain. At. the Opera House yesterday afternoon, Mr. George Aldridge continued his Sunday afternoon services for the people on popular questions. He dealt with various phases of the labour question. In tho course of his remarks he alluded to the criticism in the columns of the Herald on his speech at Mount Udeii creator on tho occasion of the Labour Demonstration. He denied the imputation that his speech was "a violent one on the contrary, he was perfectly cool. Some gentlemen came to him and solicited him to speak on tho question, "Had Labour a Right to Federate?'" and lie consented to do so, as he believed in the principle of Federation. The principle of Trade Unionism was that the labourer should have not only a biro subsistence, but such remuneration as would enable him to live decently, and in possession of tho ordinary comforts of life, and that he should share in the wealth he helped to produce. With such a programme he agreed. Free Labour, as it was called, the right of a man to sell his labour as he pleased, or as his necessities compel him, would bring about social wreckage, against which Trades' Unionism was the only barrier. He admitted all the defects and imperfections of Unionism, and the tendency unduly to usurp power and to exceed its legitimate functions and mission, but the whole thing was simply tho outgrowth of an abnormal state of society. And that was tho apology for these excresences. The discourse was very moderate in tone, and characterised thoughtfulness.