THE STRIKES IN LONDON.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 914, 6 September 1889, Page 25

THE STRIKES IN LONDON.

By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. (PER/PRESS ASSOCIATION.) London, August 28. Burns, the Socialist leader, states that 150,000 strikers are determined to prevent the employment of Belgian labourers to the exclusion of Eritiah subjects. :/; T."' The Ruapehu sailed to-day for New Zealand. The Joint;Committee of the Companies and the. strikers has advised the abolition of middlemen and an increase in Wages. The Directors of tho Dock Companies have agreed to concede the' former, but refuse any monetary increase. . London, August 29. The Thames wharfingers have accepted the strikers’ terms, and it is expected thhfc nuiny of the men will resume work, to-day. ■ ■ London, August ,29. The strikers -. have permitted the Fifeshire ami the .Kaikoura. to unload their mutton, arid the market is consequently abundantly stocked for the time being, and business ia.flat. Prices are the same as last week. The_ Austral has arrived at Plymouth,. and *' has been ordered to Gravesend. ■ The Liguria is loading at Plymouth. ; Tho wharfingers threaten that un-

less the Dock Companies virtually concede tlie men’s demands they will proceed to work the wharves and unload the ships in the river instead of at the docks. The strikers Lave agreed to this course, but the Companies adhere to the determination arrived at yesterday not to grant an increase oi wages. London, August -80. The Strike Committee describe the iDompauy’s concessions as a farce, and announces that it will call labour of all grades and descriptions out on strike on Monday unless the demands i of the men are conceded in full by noon on Saturday. Bbisbane, August 30. The wharf labourers here have cabled the Bum of Ll5O in aid of the London dockmen. Sydney 1 , August 30. The wharf labourers have cabled LSQO to tbe London dock strikers. London, August 30. The latest development of the strike is that the Sailors and Liremen’s Unions, 60,000 strong, have offered to come cut. London, August 31. The Dock Companies have refused the offer of three thousand Belgian labourers at 4-|d per hour. The men on strike are greatly elated at the sympathy expressed by the wharf labourers at Sydney and Brisbane. The wharfingers have submitted to a compromise, covering the substance of the strikers’ demand, slightly modifying the* Bixpenny rate of wage per hour when engaging casual workers longer than four hours. TbeDock Companies and some of the wharfingers have, however, declined to entertain this proposal. The men on strike to-day received LI6OO from sympathisers. It has been resolved to continue the strike. • The shipowners and the leader of the wharfinger men ou strike have conferred to arrange terms on which vessels will be discharged in the river, with the result that on Monday it has been decided to boycott the dock companies. The meeting was, however, adjourned until Monday. Public opinion condemns the action of the Dock Companies, and clergy of all sects express sympathy with the dock labourers in their endeavour to receive a higher rate of wages. The Conservatives, Liberals and Radicals are subscribing to aid the strikers. The Socialists contracted to enter the agitation on tbe basis of trade unionists, otherwise the strikers refuse their assistance. The Pifeshire has discharged a third of her cargo, and, as she has plenty of coal, her mutton remains in good condition. Prom the Kaikoura 600 carcases have been landed, and the steamer has sufficient coal to last for Borne days yet. September 1. The strikers have withdrawn the general strike manifesto, and issued aa appeal for financial aid. It is rumoured that the proprietors of the Albert Dock have agreed to the men’s demands. The shipowners have applied to the companies for permission to engage their own labourers. The mediators propose that labourers’ wages should be 2s for four hours, and 4s for nine hours, but they were not listened to. The strikers are expected to receive vast additions to their ranks on Monday. The reports of women and children begging for food are reiterated. Paper mills are stopping for want of material. It is hoped that the agreement between the shipowners and wharfingers to discharge vesreis in the river may possibly terminate the strike, but rioting is feared. Enormous insurances have been effected. Thousands of men are flocking to Hyde Park. Cardinal Manning interceded, but without efl'ee 4 , and Mr Buxton, M.P., appea'ed to the Government to inter vene, but'Mr Goschen declined. The 'Woolwich lightermen have struck, also 2000 ironworkers at Keighley. The gas companies are short of coal, and are getting anx ous. London, September 2. The strikers lave issued a new manifesto, in which they declare that they will c* ntinue ou strike until their original demands are granted. An appeal is made to all societies throughout the whole of the country for assistance. The shipping companies have formed a committee to arrange for the discharge and loading ox their own vessels. The shipowners have insured their property against injury by riots to the extent of .£2,000,000. London, September 2. The strike has cost the P. and O.

Company L 15,000 dfiring the past fortnight. Tho Salvation Army, together with Mr Buxton, M P., and others, are providing daily food for thousands of strikers’ families. Lunds are urgently needed to avert absolute starvation. further large contributions are anticipated from America and Australia. The stonemasons in America have promised to remit LIOO weekly, The strikers’ cause is being warmly advocated by a number' of members of Parliament, including Messrs Cremer, Graham, Stuart, and James Rowlands. At a large meeting of tho wharfingers resolutions were carried adviaiDg the men to accept the terms offered by the dock companies. The dock companies will tomorrow forward a reply to the application o; the shipping companies for permission to engage their own labourers to discharge vessels. Great preparations have been made to suppress any intimidation on the part of those on strike. London, September 3. The Trades Union Congress at Dundee has advised the various Trades Unions to render financial support to the mm on strike in London. The Directors of the dock companies have refused to see Mr Burns, who is acting for the strikers, owing to his insulting behaviour. They assert that they can procure an abundance of labour if tho menaces of the strikers are suppressed. The shipowners are strongly inclined to revolt at the action of the dock companies. Tbe strikers are enfeebled by hunger. Sydney, September 3. The local Seamen’s Union fco-day voted a first instalment of £SOO in aid of the London Dock strikers. Melbourne, September 3. At a mas meeting of sympathisers with the London strike, £I7OO was collected, (SPECIAL to press association.) London. August 28. Several coal carters at King’s Cross Railway Station have been sentenced to terms of imprisonment for rioting and intimidation. London, August 29. The dock owners have held a conference, at which it was agreed to everything except the demand for 6d an hour. The dockmen refused to accept the compromise, and Mr Burns is negotiating for a settlement. The wharfingers will unload on to the wharves from midstream and boycott the docks. Three thousand Belgians have offered their services at 4y|d an hour. Mr Burns telegraphed to the Belgian labour leaders to stop coal carters from coming, and was successful in inducing them to do so. Seventy thousand carcases of Aus trab'au mutton have been unloaded. The Glasgow dock labourers are demanding an advance of one halfpenny per hour. The stevedores have published a manifesto, in which they say they do not complain themselves, but sympathise with, the dockmen. Thousands similarly situated are striking daily, and the riverside factories, foundries, and warehouses are confined to unskilled labour. Men who do not belong to Unions are totally without means, and frightful privation has been caused by this labour crisis. The payments from the strike funds average LIOOO per day. There are 100,000 married men on strike, and their allowance is limited to eighteen pennyworth of food daily for each family, v The pickets get 2s per day. Thousands of women and children besiege tho food depots, where the scenes are perfectly harrowing. The Committee beg that the strike may be confined to tho riverside labourers, otherwise they fear the movement will collapse from its own inherent weakness. _ LONDON, August 31. Tho police are reported to sympathise with the dockmen, and it is believed they cannot be relied on in case of a riot. Mr Burns expects to be arrested for the part he has played in the affair, and has arranged foi a successor to replace him in the leadership of the Socialist par-j. A panic and riots are feared. It is expected that by Monday there will be a quarter of a million of men on strike. The dock-owners show no signs of giving way. The utmost they will agree to is to offer 5d pc-r hour, and a promise to endeavour to pay for piecework at the rate of 6d per hour. The men insist on 6d . for regular work. The number of

men on strike outside the dock labourers has diminished, and it is now estimated to be not more than 100,000. The funds are stated to be increasing. Sixty thousand Seamen’s Unionists have offered monetary and active assistance. The wool sales will begin on the 17th, if the strikes do not prevent them being he-ld at all. Colonial brokers and merchants are suffering heavily. It is reckoned that two . million of pounds worth of colonial iniports and exports are blocked by the sudden revolt of the men. Two thousand Bast End tailors have struck for a decrease in hours and an increase in wages, and it is expected that the number will increase to twenty thousand. v London, September 2. The strikers’ meeting in Hyde Park was of an orderly character. Mr Burns said the marks of sympathy they had received from the colonies were a sample of true Federation. The parleying had ended, and the men now awaited the surrender of the dock owners. The meeting was smaller than the last. The dock owners say they will only negotiate with the employes. The pickets are being doubled. The agreement between the wharfingers and shipowners has collapsed. The strikers are quiescent. -Eight hundred “ blacklegs ” are housed and employed in the docks. The Directors of the Company allege that Mr Burns has just invited seven thousand strikers to invade the docks and remove these men, and "have appealed to Mr Matthews, the Home Secretary, for help. Police have, been despatched to their assistance.