STRIKERS RETURN

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8612, 24 December 1913, Page 5

STRIKERS RETURN

RUSH FOR ENROLMENT IN WATERSIDERS’ UNION. A HUGE MEMBERSHIP. FIRST FOREIGN COAL ARRIVES. Hundreds of ex-strikers attended yesterday morning for enrolment with the now Wharf Labourers’ (arbitration; Union. So many men thronged the vicinity of tho union office near the luggage shed on the Queen’s wharf that traffic was interfered with, and the police were compelled to move the men off the wharf. The enrolment continued in the afternoon. Tho list of cx-strikers who are applicants for membership to the new union now includes nearly 800 names. The total membership of tho union is given at over 3000, hut several hundreds of, those who joined the union have returned to the country or resumed their former occupations in tho city. Some 300 men who wont as firemen, trimmers, and dock-hands, however, will now swell tho ranks of tho watersidors, as the regular crews are rejoining their vessels. There are various estimates of tho actual number of men who will he offering for employment on the waterfront, but until after the Christmas holidays the true situation cannot bo gauged. Those who applied for admission to the union yesterday did not receive union~ hooks, but signed their names to tho list. Tho men, in place of being sworn ‘ ‘to abide by the rules of tho now union,” signed a declaration that: “We, the undersigned, are desirous of obtaining employment as members of tho Wellington Wharf Labourers’ Union of Workers, provided our applications ore acceptable by the executive of tho above union.’' This proviso has been substituted for the original declaration, in view of the fact that a “weeding-out” process will bo necessary. Tho applicants will be notified two- days after their application whether they have been admitted into the 'anion. It is believed that badges giving the wearers preference of work will be Issued to those who became members of tho new union on or before December Bth. It is stated that there were about 1600 men working along tho waterfront yesterday, including 100 exstrikers who have joined tho now union since the collapse of the strike. Tho aclual figures were difficult to obtain. REGULAR CREWS SIGN ON. The Government Shipping Office was not so busy yesterday as on previous days since the seamen'ls gtnlae was declared off. Regular crews signed on tho articles of the Corinna, Pukoki, Awahou, Queen of the South, and Kapuni, and various changes wore made in the crows of other vessels. About 600 men have signed on and off vessels at Wellington since last Saturday morning. The guard at the gates of the wharves was withdrawn yesterday, and access to tho wharf was gained without the necessity of showing tho special passes which were issued during tho strike period. No trouble between the ex-strikers and arbitrationists was reported. CROWDED WHARVES. ' - The wharves were so crowded yesterday that the Tongariro, which arrived in the stream at 4.25 p.m. from Pieton, was unable to come alongside for loading. She will berth to-day at the King’s Wharf, when a berth will be available.

Cargo-working was exceedingly brisk around the wharves during the day. The following vessels were at work: Maori, Arahura, Ripple, Nikau, Blenheim, Corinna, Tainui (liner), Tainui (coastal), Ruru, Queen of the South, Hula, Awahou, Pubaki, Nikau, Regulus, Whakatane, Echo, Ngakuta, Muritai, Tokomaru, Corinthic, Opouri, Clan Sutherland, and Kapiti. COAL ARRIVES. The first consignment of coal from distant lands to arrive at Wellington reached this port shortly before midnight lost night m the tramp steamer Vinstra. The vessel came slowly into port, and was taken to an anchorage by Pilot Hayward. Nearly 70U0 tons of Newcastle coal will arrive at Wellington to-morrow by the Union Company's big collier Waitemaba, which left Newcastle at midnight on Saturday direct for this port. The Whakatane, which is discharging cargo from Montreal, loaded a quantity of ooal at Newcastle while en route to Now Zealand. She was discharging the coal into a hulk yesterday.