THE CAPE FOULWIND "LOCKOUT."

Otago Witness, Issue 1951, 11 April 1889, Page 27

THE CAPE FOULWIND "LOCKOUT."

The vexed question of $c "capital and labour" dispute at present going on at Cape Foulwind, has beeu referred to by the press throughout the colony, and a few remarks from an onlooker, who has watched the struggle carefully, may not be without interest to readers of the Otago Witness. I have been present at many a wild scene in the olden time, down here, on what was in those days appropriately styled the wild West Coast, but the scene presented the other day on the arrival of a second batch of what have come to be known as "Wilkie's blacklegs," or, in other words, a contingent of some 40 men from Auckland, to. the order of Messrs Wilkie Bros, and Wilson, contractors, who had imported the men on the cheap labour system, and in defiance of the locked-out unionists, stands unique in my experience. The steamer Herald landed the men at noon on Monday, crowds of Westport people witnessing the debarkation. The men were sent on at once by special train to Cape Foulwind, where the greatest excitement prevailed. When the train arrived at the junction it was met by 200 union men, who at onoe interviewed the Aucklahders, and when the train was about to start for the granite quarries they stubbornly protested against it, and at length went so far as to turn the points, and thus effectually barred the further progress of the engine. Then for the space of half-an-hour the scene was one of the wildest imaginable. Men rushed hither and thither, threatening, persuading, shouting, and hooting, but happily no actual violence was offered, as the contractor—who was upon the engitfe, and had some rather narrow escapes — was wise enough not to persist in his intention of taking the men straight on to the quarry where their first contingent were at work. Had he done so there would have been a tale to tell of a far more serious nature than this. As it was the new arrivals were induced by the unionists to leave the train and attend a meeting to be immediately convened, where the position of affairs could be explained to them. E. J. O'Conor, M.H.R., presided at the meeting, which was largely attended, and was quiet and orderly throughout. Mr Lomas, in a straightforward, lucid speech, stated the position us it stands between t^he men and the contractors, and advised the Auckland men to return whence they came without delay, the union being willing to treat them generously, and pay their passages back either to Auckland or elsewhere. Mr O'Conor spoke at some length and in scathing terms of themisrepresentation that must have been resorted to by the contractors to induce men to come here under existing circumstances, though he blamed the Government a great deal for the present state of the labour market. The final result of the discussion which followed was that the men expressed their willingness to leave the district again at once, refusing to work for the sontractors, who, they declared, had deceived them, or as one of the Aucklanders tersely put the case : — " Chaps," he exclaimed, after jumping on the platform, " a look here, as far as I am concerned, I did not know there was any strike on here, and I am sure these other fellows didn't. Before I take a bit out of any children's mouths I'll starve. That's all I've got to say." And so, amid deafening cheers and intense excitement) they returned to Westport, where they were billeted for the night by the Unionists, and on the following day the majority departed by steamer, though not empty-handed, for the union not only paid their return fare, but also furnished them with some little aid in case of exigencies, and thus ended .the episode of Messrs Wilkie and Wilson's second importation of foreign labour into this district. But the end is|not yet. \ Police Inspector Emerson and half a dozen extra " boys in blue " are on the spot in case of need, though it is not believed their intervention will be needed. A pleasing feature all through these troubled proceedings is the fact that the union men have refrained from committing the slightest breach of law and order. They are striving for a legitimate end by fair means, and are receiving support and sympathy on every hand, and will continue to do so while their attitude is one of moderation and, fairness. These men have made homes for themselves and for their families under great difficulties, and who can blame them if they endeavour by all lawful means to keep them? Moreover, the reduction of wages on this coast .means something far more serious to the labouring classes than can be easily understood by those who live under more favourable climatic influences. It is true that wages are nominally higher on the West Coast than in other parts of New Zealand, but then provisions are dearer and the climate is distinctly unfavourable to outdoor occupations; besides, quarrying is always dangerous work, and especially is it so at Cape Foulwind, where, the risk to life or limb appears to be accentuated by peculiar geological formation! The ill-advised attempts of the contractors to reduce wages can therefore only lead to unpleasant results, for whioh they must be held mainly responsible.