STRIKE RUMOURS

Otago Witness, Issue 3277, 3 January 1917, Page 5

STRIKE RUMOURS

EFFICACY OF WAR REGULATIONS.

CFbov Oon Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, December 27. All through the holiday season the town has been full of rumours of immediately impending strikes. All of them are quit* groundless. The truth is that for the first time in several weeks it now appears poS« sible that we may escape a general serious strike, though the war regulations are certainly causing union officials a little uneasiness. Discussing striko prospects the other day with a friend, an official of a union that was represented at the Conscription Conference made this remark: '.I don.t see how we can arrange for a strike while they won't let us hold meetings/' The decree about unlawful meetings is likely to have a most important effect. The most recent labour trouble here was the drivers dispute. Owing to the holding of meetings which quickly developed into anti-conscrip-tion meetings, the dispute was taken right out of the unions' hands and the men were very nearly forced out on strike agdnst their will. But for the intervention of th(» professional talkers, the drivers and theii employers would have been abo to coma U term:! without tho aid of the Government Every Sunday night Mr Holland and a feM others addressed meetings in a small hall in Wellington. Before the issue of the regulations it was the habit of Mr Holland and othcra to fulminate with much fervour against tho wicked Government and the conscription law. They did not talk about a "general strike" to resist conscription. Instead, tho workers would be advised to "get together in the industrial field" or there would be talk of " united industrial action." There has been only ono meeting since the last most stringent regulations were issued, arid it was a very mild, well-conducted affair by comparison with some of the old-time Socialist meetings hero. Early in the year demands are to b ■ made by the miners and tho watersiders for more pay. The miners want an increase in hewing rates of 17£ per cent, and other concessions. Both unions have asked for conferences with their employers, and theße conferences will probably meet in Wellington on tho week after next. Until then there is not likely to be a strike, and after they meet wo shall know exactly what thcro is in the general strike threat. Tho Government has made its plans to deal with rioting if outbreaks should occur in, Wellington.