SEQUEL TO A STRIKE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11659, 14 June 1912, Page 4

SEQUEL TO A STRIKE.

WATERSIDE WORKERS PItOSE- ; CTJTED. (Per Press Association.) f ' • Auckland,. June 13. A further sequel,to the strike on the steamer Paparoa in -Auckland on November 21 was the appearance of 15 waterside workers before Mr C. C., Kettle, S.M., in the. Magistrate's Court.' Eac}i man was charged separately with beih'g ii party, to, the strike, and in each case, a plea 6f . not guilty'was. entered. Mr Selwyn May's" conducted the prosecution, and Mr R-. F "WhJ appoarsr,' for the defendants. "J. B/' Jacobs,'"Thomas Ferguson.. D.r Hook, Carl Moller, T. E. Hinton,. C. Holmes, G. Hanigan, Joseph Richardson . and Robert Robertson all told similiar stories when they entered the witness box. The effect of their statements was that-about- 11 o'clock on the morning of November 21 rain interfered with .discharging operations, and the men accordingly stopped work. Some of them went to the union room for a while and others went home; but they all denied' that they took part in- any meeting that day. On the following d'ay they came to work as usual, but were informed that a grievance was being discussed: in the meeting room, and that- no work was to be done unt'l tlie matter was .settled. Each man denied that lie participated in the pro-, ceedings: -at either meeting, or in any way was a party to the strike. In the course of his judgment MiKettle said' he believed the men to be honest,' and he thought they were telling the truth when they said they were not parties to the strike. He held that they went to the wharves on the morning" of the 22nd of November to work, and" not- to declare a strike. He thought he would be doing the meii a. gross injustice if he,did ,not believe, them. and. on the contrary lie did believe them. His .Worship dismissed 1 the charges in each case.

Robert Anns worth admitted that'the -question of obtaining extra pay had been, discussed by some of the men on November 20 —tlie day before work was /suspended. Witness - audi some others intended: to ask for am increase in tlie rate of pay, but they found that someonie had anticipated theni, and asked for more money. He did attend the meetings held in connection, with the matter." but he said he would have gone to work as usual whether an increase had been granted or not. Ainsworth said lie was not a party to the trouble, and he added . that he was against strikes. x •

This case, Mr: Kettle said, was somewhat different; from the others. He was riot. impresed in the way in which Ainsworth "had given his evidence, but at the same, time lie was doubtful if Ainsworth was a party to the strike. He would g'Ve the man the benefit of the donbt and dismiss the charge;

• ' - Tli'os.• Woodward admitted;.that lie atr . 'tended the meetings, and moved'"certain Tesoluifcions. He said ; . he • did not .go hack on the I?apnroa. because lie considered the work dirty, andi.licthought 'more money should be paid - for the work. . ' ' .' :* '-Mr-Kettle said In? thought it was clear that Woodward did not return- to work because he tlionght more money should be paid for the work; : AVood-wa-rd was the leader of'the. meeting, and the resolution conveyed to Messrs Scaring and! Co. asking for an increase 111 pay. Iras tantamount to a declaration to strike. His' Worship inflicted a fine of £5. In the case of C. Donald, who did not • appear, Mr Kettle said he was one of the nieal whose names were recorded' as being present at the meeting on Noyeniher 22. His Worship had l no 'doubt that Donald: was influenced by Collett (the secretary) and!/ one or two other men, including Woodward. A fine of £1 was inflicted. Charles Petersen, Joseph Shearer, and Dew port were fined £1 each. The question of costs .in each case was adjourned. Mr Way gave notice of appeal in each case, and Mr Kettle, in granting leave, said lie would give facility to enable -the "cases to be further ventilated, in the Arbitration Court. 5