THE RECENT STRIKE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15955, 24 December 1913, Page 6

THE RECENT STRIKE.

r BEVIEW BY UNITED j LABOTJE PARTY. ; FEDEEATION METHODS CRITICISED. ADVICE TO UNIONISTS. FEDERATION AND THE SEAMEN. LATTER CHARGED WITH BREACH OF FAITH. SEAMEN'S MEETING IN .WELLINGTON. MR YOUNG'S RESIGNATION DEMANDED. Yestgrday was again a period of com- • parative quiet on the Dunedin -wharves. About 180 men -were engaged loading the • Warrimoo for the' north, coaling and discharging the Waipori, and discharging the "Kaipara. So far no applications for membership in ■ the Arbitration Union have been received 'from members of th? old Watersiders' Union, but that is only because not a great deal of -work is offering as- yet, /When the time arrives for it applications ■ will doubtless como. in fast enough. ' COMMERCE PROTECTION COMMITTEE. RESOLUTION OF THANKS. At a meeting of tho Dunedin Commerce . Protection Committee, hold yesterday morning, the following resolution was carried:— " That this oommittee, which, from t'he inception, has worked solely in what it be.lieved to be the best interests of every clas6 of the community, and with the fol- ■ lowing specific objects—namely, to maintain the trade and commerce of the port without interruption and to assist in the preservation of law and order—desires, aa .representatives of tfho citiiens, to convey • its best thanks to all those who have so - loyally co-operated with it in the duty : which it had undertaken—especially to the men from country and town who were prepared to assist in the preservation of law • .and order, as also to those men who actually undertook t'he work at tho wharves and elsewhere. It also desires to express the lopo thai the future relationship between employers and employed in this dominion will be such as -wtllmake for the prosperity and happiness of all." INSULTING LANGUAGE. MAN FINED £1. '• -In the City Police <Jourt yesterday morning, betore Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., Sullivan was charged that on Decem'ber 22 he did use insulting language in the ; Queen's Gardens with intent to provoke a breach of the peace. Sub-inspector Fouhy stated that on the previous evening a seaman named George Adlurd was ( going through the Triangle when he was followed by the accused, who called him a "scab." He also hauled oil his coat, arid wanted to fight Adlard. Tho complainant, however, got away, and returned in company with Constable Bandy, . '.who arrested the accused. The accused, who. pleaded guilty, was fined 20s, in default seven days' imprisonment with hard labour. .-.'■' POSITION AT PORT CHALMERS. MEN RESUMING WORK. Tho wharves are beginning to assume ' their normal activity at Port Chalmers, a largo number of men having resumed work yesterday morning. Business is still quiet, However, and a goodly number of the men on strike have not yet tound employment locally. We understand that about 20 of the old federationisis lett Port Chalmers yesterday for Lytteltou, where they expect to obtain employment at the dock during :the next few weeks overtuiuling coastal vtssels that will bo undergoing their annual ,-tsurv.ey. A gang of men was employed yesterday coaling the Jlokoia at Port Chalmers, in readiness for her resumption of service shortly, and a further number found work at tho ironworks, but work will be slack until early in tho new year. The memborehip of tho new Arbitration Union is increasing daily about 150 having been enrolled to datoTHE SEAMEN'S UNION. . A PHILANTHROPIC M.P. Mr W. E. J. Maguire, secretary of tho " Dunedin Drivers' Union, informs us that he has received the following telegram from Mr J. Payne, M.P., who is at present in Tnvercargill:—"lf theee sailor boys in Dunedin want a lead towards centralising their union into, one big union I will undertake to act as general secretary for 12 months, and put tie whole tiling on a business basis free of chargo for the 12 months." WELLINGTON WATERSIDE WORKERS. RUSH TO JOIN ARBITRATION UNION. UNWIELDY MEMBERSHIP. (Pzß UMTEIi I'RESJ jSOCIATIUM.) WELLINGTON, December 23. ■ There was a big rush to join the Arbitration Union this morning. As soon as the ' Union's office was opened a large crowd of strikers attempted to get in. A queuo was formed outside in the vicinity, but the congestion became so pronounced that traffic was impeded, and the police were compelled to clear the waiting men off the wlmrf altogether. Tho list was closed after 80 more men had signed on. Tho executive is now faced with something of a quandary, for tho union has grown until it has become almost too un- . wieldy to deal with. Tho total membership _is mow well over 3000, and deducting £00 from this number for country and town i members who only signed on temporarily, there still remains a total of 2500. To this '1 aggregate, has to bo added another 300— those men who aro away at sea, and who, when their ships return to Wellington, will for tho most part resume work on tho wharves, as their places on board .will bo filled by the original firemen and seamen who left the vessels. The difficulty will bo increased by the fact that there still remain many strikers (probably 500 or 600) who aro desirous of signing on . Eventually the petition will be that there will bo approximately' 3500 men offering for labour that cm be carried out by 1500 men. To-day, instead of being sworn to abido by the rules of the new union, the .declaration signed wm:—"We, the undersigned, are desirous of obtaining employment as members o[ tho Wellington Wharf Labourers' Union of Workers, provided cur applications aro acceptable by tho _ executive of the above union." This proviso has been substituted for the original declaration in view of the fact that a weeding out process will be noccssary. Applications lor membership since the strike was called olf - will bo considered by tho executive, and tie applicants will bo advised two days from signing on whether or not they have bfjen accepted into tho membership of (he ™ on ' • The men who added their names to the •'list' tliis morning were not provided with ■' jinfon books, but only signed t.heir names 'td the list. It is anticipated that the preference badges will bo issued to members who joined the union on or before Dccem- " ber 8. This morning about 1600 men were at work, about 100 of these being ex-strikers. LABOUR LEADERS' DIFFERENCES. (Pxb Uitited Press Adiocutiob.) WELLINGTON, December 23. Mr A"new (chairman of the Central Strike Committee), referring to nn explanation 'wiven by Mr E. J. Carey in connection with ■ the allegation that he had cabled to Sydney .'advWnn- the unions not to give financial '••:asietancc to the strike, made the following etiitement. to a reporter this afternoon: '"•\s chairman of tho Central Strike Com'm'ittee. I would like to ask Mr Carey how he ■''can brim' his action in the Waihi strike :ntn ' line with his action in the present trouble? : Is it not a fact that every motion brought by a delegate on the council, even a motion of sympathy, he has fought toofh and nail 1 against that motion being carried? Is it not VW that last Thursday week there was a motion brought down by the executive of

the Trades and Labour Council suspending Mr Carey for 12 months from tho council in connection with tho cablegram to Australia? This committee does not deny Mr Carcy'6 right to correspond with personal friends, but it denies him tho right, while posing as an alleged leader of Labour, to communicate with Mr Hughes against the interests of the workers and use what are not facts. I would like to say personally that if the 'lily white' of tho Trades and Labour Council (to uee Mr Carey's own words), who profess to bo Labour leaders, had taken their stand alongside of Labour in this fight*, there might have been a different tale to tell to-day " REVIEW OF THE STRIKE. STATEMENT BY UNITED LABOUR PARTY. FEDERATION METHODS CONDEMNED. ADVICE TO THE WORKERS. (Pisa United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, December 23. The United Labour Party having received many requests for a plain statement of the facts in connection -with the strike, the tollowing has been prepared by the National Executive of .the party:— " Tho agreement made between tho Wellington Waterside Workers' Union, the employers, and the New Zealand Federation of Labour was to remain in force from February 1, 1912, until January 31, 1911. When the employers made that agreement with tho Federation of Labour they knew that the federation was a revolutionary body; that tho wharf unions the federation was acting for wore repudiating the Act; that a New Zealand Waterside Workers' Federation existed registered under the Arbitation'Act. With a knowledge of these facts, the employers made tho agreement with the New Zealand Federation of Labour. By that agreement tho employers granted terms and conditions such as they had never given to the Waterside Workers' Unions while they remained under tho Arbitration Act. The employers thus encouraged the Workers' Union to repudiate the Act. They practically ignored the _ Waterside Workers' Federation, and assisted in strengthening a body which told them plainly that it was out to take _ property from them by direct action. Keeping these facts in mind will make the incidents of this strike better understood. To strengthen the Federation of Labour, and in pursuance of the one big union 6chome, the secretary of the Wellington Waterside Workers' Union induced tho members of tho Wellington Shipwrights' Society to break up their society, divide up their funds, and join the Waterside Workers' Union. The shipwrights attempted to make an agreement with the shipowners for improved terms and conditions, and, not being able to settle, they went out on strike without, so far as we can learn, a formal resolution of the union they belonged to. Mr Farland called a special meeting of the union on October 20 to consider the questions of payment for travelling time and how they could help the shipwrights on strike. That meeting was called at a time when the great body of the members could not be present. It was attended by about 200 out of the 1700 members. It was decided to hand the shipwrights' case over to the Federation of Labour, and then a motion was carried to call a stop-work meeting of the union on October 22 at 8 am. A reference to Rule 32 of the union's rules shows that had the rule been observed this stop-work meeting at 8 a.m. could not have been held. The meeting was advertised on October 21, and the employers intimated that if it was held they would regard the stoppage of work as breaking the agreement. The stop-work meeting was held on October 22, from 8 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. The labour foreman put some men on to jobs that others were on previously, and the men thus left outjclairaed to bo put back in the jobs they had been at. A further stop-work meeting was called for 1 p.m. to consider tho matter of the reinstatement. The president of the union advised that by stopping work ' the agreement was broken from A to Z, and they were on strike.' At the afternoon meeting it was decided to strike work until the men were reinstated in their old jobs. This decision was clearly in entiro disregard of Rule 52 of the union rules, which reads thus: : No strike shall bo entered into until a ballot has been held to determine the opinion of the whole union on the question in dispute."

"The. employers held a meeting at 3 p.m. The union wanted the particular men. reinstated, but the employers said other men were put on because of the stop-work meeting, and refused the union's request. .Thus the strike was entered upon.

•'The general facts go to show:—(1) That tho shipwrights joined the Waterside Workers' Union and were classified in the shipwrights and slip-workers' branch; (2) the agreement in force between the employers and the union was never amended to include shipwrights; (3) tho shipwrights as a branch camo out on str:ke without observing the provision of rule 52; (4) the shipwrights struck work without the direction of the union to which they belonged, and the anomalous condition was established of a minor branch' of the union being on strike whilst the rest of the union members were at work; (5) the Waterside Workers' Union held a stop-work meeting to consider: (a) the question of payment of travelling time for slip-workers, which, according to clause 28 of their agreement, should have been dealt with by a local committee representing both the employer and tho union; (b) the question of assisting the shipwrights on strike, when, we understand, it was decided to hand tho matter over to the control of tli3 Federation of Labour, the union, under the guidance of its secretary, appeal's to have committed theso most serioiw mistakes—(l) overlooking, ignoring, and breaking its own rules; (2) countenancing, some of its members going on strike whilst tho rest remained at work; (3) forgetting these words in clause 28 oi the agreement, ' The essence of this agreement being that the work of the employers shall always proceed in the customary manner, and shall not on any account whatsoever be impeded,' and deliberately breaking what is theroin defined as ' the essence of the agreement'; (4) being altogether too ready to 'down tools' and run the risk of losing a good agreement, knowing that its continuance depended only upon the mutual consent of tho parties thereto. Tho Waterside Workers' Union, after the strike was opened, paid their dues into the Federation of Labour control. The strike was later handed over to the Federation Executive, not one of whom is a waterside worker. At first tho federation leaders insisted on the reinstatement of the agree•ment as their sole claim. The employers made the following offers:—(l) Registration of the agreement _ under the Arbitration Act; (2) registration of tho union under tho same Act; (3) reinstatement of national agreement with provision for a penalty of £1000 for breach of clause 23; (4) same concondition for a local agreement with £500 penalty; (s)' an'offer that the employers would abide by the decision of a ballot of the men' taken under Government supervision in settlement of tho dispute; (6) offer to submit the whole matter to Sir Joshua Williams a 6 arbitrator. These offers were from time to time refused by tho Federation of labour, and then the employers withdrew the offers. Later on" the strike leaders wanted the employers to settle on the penalty condition, but that failed. Still later on the question of Sir Joshua Williams was again raised, and the strike leaders wanted iho employers to.agree to that, but I the employers refused, taking the ground that the-time had gone past for any Mich arbitration, as they were bound to rocogniso the new union that, was formed. Throughout the strike tho Federation of Labour leaders have used and countenanced the u:o of strongly inflammatory language. Violence was employed by t.l'.e strike sympathisers towards stopping trade and inflicting injury on individuals. The Government maintained public order by the use of ordinary and special police, and also assisted the employers in directions that enabled them to procure labour. Tho employers aided in forming an Arbitration Union, over which they ha-ve exorcised some control, and tho same was registered under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act, although at the time of the registration the members of the said union were not engaged in tho industry.

"The outstanding facts for consideration are:—(l) That the employers and the Federation of Labour have been jointly responsible in passing <i heavy burden on to tho public by their actions preceding the strike; (2) that tills strike was not properly a contest between the employers of wharf labour and tho waterside worker, but really a trial of strength between the Employers' Federation and the Federation of Labour; (3) that throughout there was exhibited on the part of the Federation of Labour an utter disregard of everybody's interrists but their own, and a great lack of steadiness of judgment, balance, and foresight. _

" A general survey of the situation must convince the public and all true unionists that the United Federation of Labour's revolutionary policy is one of disruption in the Labour movement, and of deliberate anarchy as affocting public interests. Through the federation's advocates in Ihe Waterside Workers' Union they broke their own union rules, tore up their constitution, disregarded the agreements thev had made, and plunged themselves, their fellow workers, and the whole country into serious trouble.

The existence of this propaganda of irresponsible revolutionary action has destroyed many workers' unions which it took years of hard toil to creatc. "The remedy lice in tho hands of the workers. Each individual must take an active and intelligent interest in the affairs of his union. If sound trades unionism is to live it can only bo by a straight-out repudiation of tho doctrines and methods of insane revolutionism. _ The workers muse return to the constructive' line 6of action which enabled the trades councils in past years to secure most of tho Labour legislation we possess. Our unions must feder.ite together in one, not to violate or oppose the law of our country, but to uphold tne law and make it better for our peoplo as a whole." STATEMENT BY LABOUR FEDERATION. SEAMEN'S UNION BLAMED. (Pta United Pbxss Absociatton.) ■WELLINGTON, December 25. 'The members of the executive of tho Federation of Labour, who are in Wellington, made the following statements today concerning tho calling off of tho strike:— " Duiing the currency of the strike repeated assurances have been given by the Federation Executive that no settlement of a sectional character would be effected. It was maintained all the time that any settlement arrived at with the employers would cover all engaged in the struggle. Despite this assurance a sectional settlement was arrived at by the seamen without the consent of the representatives of the other bodies involved. Although the delegates attending a meeting in Wellington, held for the purpose of discussing the position, knew that negotiations were in progress between the seamen's delegates and the shipping companies, nevertheless the repeated statements of the seamen's representatives that they would not be parties to a sectional settlement were accepted in all good faith. Acting upon this the plans of the conference were arranged. It is simiply ridiculous for Mr Smith, of the Dunedin seamen, 01' any other person to state that the federation decided to call' the strike oif on December 15. The statement is not true. There was no resolution to call the strike off until after the seamen had deoided to t return to work. These are the facts as disclosed by the official records. "We claim that we were not treated fairly by the seamen's .delegates. We feel still further that in acting as they did theso delegates did not represent the feeling of the seamen of New Zealand. _ Since the decision of the eeameji necessitated immediate action so far as the watersiders and others were concerned, the delegates, together with tho Federation Executive, cn Friday, December 19, passed a resolution to call the strike off as from the 20th inst. Since lhat time there has been a tendency on the part of certain people to shoulder the responsibility for calling off the strike upon the shoulders of Mr W. T. Young, We want to say, in all fairness to Mr Young—and we would here intimate that the whole of this statement is made without liis knowledge or consent—that he has given us to understand that in negotiations with t'lio employers and the subsequent decision t'o sign a sectional settlement for the seamen he was not a party thereto. During the whole course of the dispute Mr Young was as emphatic as anyother member of the executive that a sectional agreement would be most undesirable. We accept, without equivocation, the assurances of Mr Young that he did not know of tho intehtion of the Auckland and Dunedin seamen's delegates to sign up irrespective of nny other group of workers, including even tho Wellington seamen, until Mr Jack, of Auckland, informed Messrs Hickey a.nd Dowgray of the intention on December 19. Such being the case, we believe a very ?i'ave injustice has been done Mr Young." We make this statement, believing it to be true and to clear from the name of one who has fought long in tne Labour movement condemnation that wo feel is not deserved."

WHARVES OPEN TO PUBLIC. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, December 23. For tho first time for nine weeks the public had the right of entry to the wharves to-day. It is estimated that fully 1600 men were employed in working cargo to-day, and included in these were over 100 strikers who have signed on since the strike collapsed. The Harbour Board alone employed close on 500 hands during the day, and between 30 and 40 ex-strikers were included in their ranks. THE SEAJIEN AND FIREMEN. (Fbom Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, December 23. Since Saturday over 600 men have been signed on and ol? vessels' articles at the Government Shipping Ofiice. Business in this direction was not very brisk to-™'?'-, most of the vacancies being now filled. MEETING OF SEAMEN. MR YOUNG'S POSITION. RESIGNATION DEMANDED. (From Oor Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, December 23. At a meeting which was attended by 197 sea-men, and wiiicli was held in the \ h ian Street Skating Rink to-day, Mr W. 1. Young, secretary of the Wellington branch of the Seamen's Union, was asked to resign Ins position, and a motion of " No confidence " was also carried. Mr J. Dailly presided, and Mr D. Smith was appointed secretary. The meeting was called for tho purpose of considering Mr Young's action in regard to the recent strike. Mr Young was not present, the reason being tnai '.e ii.ul'w attend a meeting of the executive of the Federation of Labour, which had been called to consider his resignation from tho position of president of that body. From a report of the proceedings given to a Dominion reporter by the secretary of the meeting, it was ascertained that Mr Youn" came in for a considerable amount of adverse criticism. It was stated that the secretary' of the union had taken it upon himself to go round tho wharves and interview seamen with tho apparent intention of preventing the meeting from being held. Two resolutions were put to the meeting, and it is reported that they were carried unanimously. The resolutions were as follow:—(1), That the action of Mr W. T. Young and h : s committee in going round the vessels and declaring that there was no meeting of seamen to be held to-day be condemned by those present. This was moved by Mr Jones, arid seconded by MiLyons. '(2) That this meeting of seamen passes a motion of no confidence in Mr Young, secretary of the Wellington branch of the Seamen's Union, and that he bo asked to resign his position. The second resolution was moved by Mr D. Wis'hart,and seconded by Mr F. Ricketts. COAL SUPPLIES. NO NEED FOR ANXIETY. (Pen United Press Association.) WELLINGTON,. December 23. Mr W. CI. Foster (chairman of the Employers, Fanners, and Citizens' Defence Committee) was asked to-day if he was prepared to say anything on the question of coal supplies. In giving a personal opinion, Mr Foster sad ho did not think the committee should make public tho price that had been paid for coal coming? Iroin various places overseas. The dealers in Wellington had not at liret readily taken tho maiter up, although tiiey were now in some cases seeking coal. In Auckland the dealers had secured coal. There was a possibility that those who had paid a long price for imported coa] might bo undersold by dealers when the Now Zealand mines reopened. "So far as supplies are concerned," Mr Foster continued, " we do not need to worry for some considerable time to come. Commitments have now been made for 10C,030 tons, and any amount more is available if required. I think I am right in estimating the amount of coal being delivered, on the way, and ordered as totalling 150,000 tons, every bit of which will provide for all industrial and possible public utility requirements up till the middlo of March; so that, if the miners show no inclination to return to work during the next month, there will be ample time for us to repeat the orders and purchase further quantities and to have them delivered here in good time. At the end of January wo should still have six weeks to order and lrjve delivery made. Cargoes have been offering freely to probably a similar extent, viz., 150,000 tons, but the committee thought it desirable to await the developments at Iho New Zealand mines before placing any further ordei'6 for coal." POSITION IN AUCKLAND. SCARCITY OF WORK ON WHARVES. (Per United Press Association.! , AUCKLAND, December 23. Work on tho waterfroat is scarce. Many of the former strikers were gathered at the wharves to-day, but dispersed when a notice waa posted up stating that no up^ili-

cationa for membership of the new union will be considered until after the New Year. A busy period is expected after the holidays. STRIKERS AT LYTTELTON. REFUSAL TO RESUME WORK. APPLICATIONS TO JOIN NEW UNION. (Pan UHinsi) Prim Awociatiok.) CHRISTCHURCH, December 23. The waterside workers with one or two exceptions persist in their attitude of refusing to return to their employment unless they are reinstated a 6 a body. As there are now 153 arbitrationists engaged on the waterfront, and as most of them are giving entire satisfaction, it cannot be expected that these men will be put off to allow members of the old union to return to work. It eeems certain that many of the strikers who took a prominent part in the industrial crisis will havn to find employment elsewhere, and it is to prevent th:s happening that the men are reluctant to turn to. On being approached by a reporter today, Mr ,'J. B. Clough (president of the new union) stated that although a number of applications had been received from members of the old union they had not been deiilt_ with to date, but. it wa3 likely that a meeting of the now union would shortly bo held to consider them. Mr J. M'Combs, M.P., was in Lyttelton this morning, and had a conference with the shipping employers, as a result of which the men were advised to forward their applications to the new union. Mr M'Combs subsequently handed over a batch of 300 applications from members of the old union, and they were forwarded to the secretary of the arbitration union. Enrolment forms for the arbitration union were distributed to the strikers in camp to-day. Some were filled in, but the men are not accepting the conditions readily. They feel that under the system of supervision and ballot in connection with th\! enrolment victimisation will occur. It is,'stated that the now union will not be permitted to bo swamped by strikers, but this seems inevitable, as there are only 230 • arbitration members, and 300 at least must bo added to meet 'the requirements of the port. The port was busy to-day, the workers including a number of ox-strikers. Inrpiiries among the arbitration workers, who include special constables, show that many do not intend to remain. It is orobablo that the new year will find most, of tho strikers back at work. Rome have already found other employment. ■ Thp strike camp will be maintained until the New Year. NEW UNION CONDITIONS. PROTEST BY MR M'COMBS. (Per United Phess Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, December 23. Mr M'Combs, M.P., protests emphatically against the method adopted in connection with enrolment in regard to the arbitration union. The principle laid down in hundreds of awards is that the union must.be open to any worker of good character jlnd 6ober habits on payment of a small entrance fee, He cays this principle is violated by the new im:on. which professes to uphold the principles of the Arbitration Act. It was surely never the intention of the Legislature to confer upon fraudulent, spurious organisations, the products of connivance between the employers and men outs'do the industry in which the employers were engaged, the power to excludo from the means of livelihood the actual workers m an industry. THE SPECIAL CONSTABLES, APPRECIATION BY FARMERS. (Pkb Whitm Pmss Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, December 23. At a meeting of the Farmers' Union in Christchurch yesterday, the following resolution was passed, and a copy was sent to Colonel ChafFey at the encampment .of special police at Lyttelton: " That the union keenly appreciates the loyalty ajid selfsacrifice of the men who assisted to keep open the port of Lyttelton. Both workers and special constables forsook their usual occupations in order to protect and carry on the work necessary for the wellbeing of the whole community. The union wishes to convey to them the thanks of the farmers, many of whom were greatly harassed by being unable to got the result of their year's toil away to the market." The strength of the special police now numbers 150, of whom over 40 are mounted. It is unlikely that this number will be reduced until after the holidays. ■ WEST COAST MINERS. NEGOTIATIONS STILL IN PROGRESS. FIRM STAND BY UNION COMPANY. (Per United Press Association.) WESTPORT, December 23. Delegates of the coal miners' unions on the Coast are still sitting in conference considering matters in relatjon to resuming work. No decision was announced up to noon. The Union Company intimated to the miners' representatives: "We arc going to protect ourselves with regard to coal. Arrangements are now in train whereby we can immediately place an order for sufficient coal to keep jis going for some months." Thirty men at the Seddonville State mino commenced work this morning, loading slack into trucks to' supply a Union Company order. Three shifts will be worked. It is understood that the men are ready to enter the mine when the whistle blows. NOTICE TO MINERS (Ptn United Press Association \ WESTPORT, December 23. The Westport Coal Company has posted notices at its mines at Millerton and Denniston inviting applications for employment under the Arbitration Act. WORK IN SYDNEY. . NORMAL CONDITIONS RESTORED. l'r«i> Aajociation—By Telegraph—Copyright SYDNEY, December 23. The wharf labourers manned the wharves without exception yesterday afternoon, creating fresh scenes of activity. During the morning it appeared doubtful whether normal conditions would be resumed, there being no response to the dictum of the disbanded conference; but after dinner the old hands and casual hands supplanted clerks in the handling of cargo. The vessels worked were the Niagara (from Vancouver), the Canada. Cape, the Maheno (receiving cargo for Auckland), to- ' gether with the Riverina, which is due to sail for New Zealand ports on Wednesday. A DISASTROUS STRUGGLE. Pr«u AiJOcUtion— By TelefTiph—Coprrijhl SYDNEY, December 23. Mr D. Watson, who lias been ro-clcctcdi president of the Northern Colliery Employees' Federation, in the course of a. speech, said: "The news that the New Zealand strike is over has been received with ' a sense of relief. From the commencement 1 regarded it as hopeless, inasmuch as no intimation of it had been received on this side | of the water until it was apparent that - defeat was staring them in the face. This disastrous ttruggle in New Zealand has demonstrated to the workers of Australia ' the necessity for an organisation in which the united "wisdom of the various unions and bodies may be directed towards any trouble arising "in the industrial field." 1 i > MR PAYNF, M.P., AND MR BELCHER. TO THE EDITOR. I Sir,—Mr Payne, M.P.. comes back to the , charge in a puerile manner. Ho denies having stated that I was a "crawler" to the I have direct and authoritative information that Mr Payne, M.P., made that assertion, which I still adhero to, and can produce numerous witnesses to prove that such statements were made by Mr Payne, M.P. 1 Mr Payne, ALP., appears to think that "Bill" Belcher is making capital out of ' the present situation Let me afisure this ' self-glorified individual that I have built ! terraces of houses, and have a rent roll of ' about £10,000 a year on what I have made out of the Seamen's Union. That will, per- ! haps, ratisfy him that lam a person of no • account. It is characteristic of the ordi- ' nary politician that he cannot rise above misrepresentation to prove a case. The 1 sapient wizard from the north did state in ■ mod, unmistakable terms that I was a ' "crawlcr" to the "bosses." That truth can lie rammed down his throat with a pick handle, and all the sophistry of a mediiocro politician won't make any difference to that fact. He can take that into avizandum, and think the matter over. So far as the Seamen's Union is concerned, Mr Payne, M.P., need not worry his head. There are people connected with it who have forgotten more than ever ho will learn, who will leave Mr Payne, M.P,, to stew in his own juice. When Mr Payne, M.P., wants any satisfaction he call call oa

" Bill" Belcher a.t No. 1 Crawford street, Dunedin, where ho will get all the satisfaction that he desires.—l am, etc., William Belcher. Dunedin, December 23. [Wc have thought it necessary to modify somo of the statements contained: in the above letter.—En. O.D.T.]