WATERSIDERS' STRIKE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XVIII, Issue 12120, 23 December 1913, Page 1

WATERSIDERS' STRIKE.

IBy Electric Telegraph—Copyright.] Peb Piiess Association. CLOSING SCENES. Received December 22, at 10.5 a.m. Sydney j December 22. It is stuted tluit tile free laborers engaged :st Sydney during the strike ■have b&en withdrawn, including ( a number of. New Zea.landers, who will be returned to the Dominion.

MR YOUNG RESIGNS. (Pan Puess , ■ Wellington, December 22. JV. T. Young has resigned /the Pre sidency of the federation 'of V^abor. Dunedin, December -22. With, regard to Hickcy's syateineirfS that it \ras only Jack of imfohiiatlon regarding the . seainen's likelihood of .returning to 'work that pro von ted tho strike heing called off several days ago, Smith (a Dunedin delegate) gave an emphatic denial. He said that the 1' edei ation of Labor was well aware of the* seamen's negotiations on December 14 and as a matter of fact on tlio loth the Federation delegates, hy « decided to call the strike oit. lhe committee- of the Dunedin Seamen's Union resent strongly the suggest j that the seamen were respon-; sible for tho breakdown of the strike. J. hey were .as loyal' as anybody, although not connected with the Federa-; ti-on. and only an involuntary party.' *uici at the very time whein the .seamen were recognising the- hopelessness of tlie i>osition. and were taking a vote ot members, the Federation of Labor was conferring with a vieiV to settlement.

! /Wellington,, December 22. t scene of the strike was "larked by u irti'ique demonstration of suckers who mustered at the Vivian street H-ail, and . inarched' dowji 1000:' stiong to the wharvefe, headed by the waterside Workers' Band. Before the nien despersed. to sign on with the new union, they were addressed by the ■leaders. Mr Fariancl. secretary of the old union -sand that although thev were' defeated in resent battle, the war would go on. Tlie seamen hVd yaliauitly stood) by the watersiders until betrayed by one of their own number.

IVlx Don-gray, acting-president of the federation, said it was a retreat and not a defeat, and they would organise tneir forces and ultimately win. As tar as Tom Young was concerned, he was not one of the delegates who conferred with the shipowners,-but prob--aoly. knew what was going on. Several other speakers addressed the men, and cheers were given for the leaders, and all who had assisted the strikers.

After the. demonstration some hun,c',re, if , strikers signed on as members or tile Arbitration Union. About 300 seamen- and firemen have now signed on the various ships at Wellington and a few others not yet manned will wpit until after the holidays.

'The specials and regular constables continue on duty at the wharf gates, and passes are still required of all pe'opie who would gain admittance. Exstrikers are not being allowed on the wharves until they have signed on with the new union.

As the outcome or the Government's action in bringing men in from die country to work on the wharves during the strike it is stated that a movement is .being started in the Wellington district to organise farm laborers and obtain an award under the Arbitration Act. It is proposed to extend the movement throughout New Zealand. Ihe Shearers' Association has decided, in view of the end of the strike,.'

10 ccas'e making a levy on its nieiriI bers for' the relief fund as from .tomorrow. The secretary pir Tiaracy) snys that the response so far lias been very satisfactory, considering the fact that the weather militated against work in the shearing'sheds. •Christ-clmrch.-December 22: •< Attempts were made by a reporter; to-day to collect information regarding-' tbe economic effects of the strike in the city and in' -Canterbury' generally. It was found, however, that at best only ali approximate estimate could be obtained. It is probable that 1 the total; cost of the strike .to those actually ,en- : gaged in it as well as to those who'were' affected by it will never be fully known.l Some rough estimate of the loss in._, wages that the strikers suffered is possible, but it is extremely difficult, if not altogether impossible, to estimate even what the district lias lost owing to the stoppage of production and owing to orders that have not been received. One estimate, only taking into account the loss in wages and part of the' loss in production, puts the total at over £20,C00, the details being: Watersiders £IO,OOO, drivers' wages £7OO foundries, confectionery, and other workers affected, by the strike,, wages £3OOO, . loss in production (foundries, confectionery, and other works) £9OOO, | total £22,700.' , ' , " The farming community lias suffered considerably owing to the unusual .character of the first wool sale- 'which was postponed from the date upon which it was to have been held owing to the strike, and the dislocation of transport facilities which attended it. The consequence has been flia't there has been a tightness of money as far as the primary .producers in Canterbury are concerned. • -

It is anticipated, however, that if a month's fine weather is experienced the farming community will be able to recover itself. The crop prospects are good, provided a spell or fine weather is experienced. Dunedin, December . 22. About 130 men were employed at the wharves to-day 011 the Warrimoo. lnvercargill, and Kaipara, . the last of which arrived from Lyttelton yesterday with 800 tons. The AVaipori was due this afternoon from Wellington with 1000 tons of ''cargo, consisting for the -most part of transhipments. , The strikers, at Port Chalmers held a mass meeting yesterday" morning, and decided to go to work this morning, and they applied for enrolment in the Arbitration Waterside TJnioji. . Auckland, December 22. The Taupiri Coal Gompaiiy intends to resume operations'. at Runtly early iu Jaminry. Ample protection has been promised.

SEAMEN ."-.RETURN. - Auckland, December 22. The seamen . are quietly returning anil signing on with boats available, repricing the unqualified men. It is expected that, many -tj-ill he without berths when things are back to normal. To-day about 500 old waterside workers went down to the wharf in a body, applying for membership in the new union. fln-d seeking employment. They were informed tliat no further applications could be received -until Wednesday, and were asked to leave the waiting-room, which they reluctantly did. It is stated that the labor available is "more than ample for the existing neeßs, the membership now totalling 1234. Old' unionists claim that the action of the new union is high-handed and illegal.

EMPLOYERS MAGNANIMOUS. Wellington. December 22. Mr Foster, chairman of the Defence Committee, remarked that the present was no time for recriminations. He .personally wa,s glad to give re-employ-ment to any men forced into the strike. The employers recognised the men's right to strike Under certain conditions, but did npt recognise their right to break the law and jeopardise the welfare, 0f... the o'omimniity and cause dislocation of industries means of a sympathetic strike. The festive season was opportune for extending the hand' of goodfellowship to those men whose conduct. bad feen