THE SEAMEN'S ATTITUDE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XL, Issue 13258, 17 December 1913, Page 6

THE SEAMEN'S ATTITUDE.

| i» READY TO RESUME WORK. EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT EXPECTED. A WELLINGTON PARADE. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON,, this afternoon. One hundred and twenty to 150 strikers marched m procession at the conclusion of the usual meeting this morning, through the main streets, singing, cheering, and hooting. The parade apparently had no special significance. When it reached the heart of the city it was escorted by regular police ana mounted constables. The procession was not permitted to return by the main streets, but was forced on to the footpath by tlie police. There was some congestion of traffic, but no serious disturbajices. There is still no announcement by the seamen or Federation of Labor conference, j (Special to Herald.) It is not quite clear what was the object of the strikers marching through the streets this morning. If it was intended as a demonstration of solidarity it was a miserable failure at the outset. There were 108 marching. Despite the frequent appeal to numerous strikers en route not more than 30 additional joined the procession. The men had not gone far into the heart of the city before plenty of police were handy. Two mounted regulars led the procession, •and fifty mounted regulars and specials followed, making a more imposing disElay than the demonstrators. The latter alf-heartedly sang of hanging Messrs Massey and Fisher on an apple tree, and hooted and cheered. A notice on the Post windows of the result of the Lyttel- | ton election was the signal for cheers j for Mr McCombs and hoots for Mr Massey, but the whole demonstration was weak. When the procession sought to retrace its steps through some narrow main streets. Superintendent Ellison firmly forbade the men to do so, and ordered them down a side street. They obeyed, cheering as they passed the Waterside Union's rooms and Trades Hall. App-toaehine Cuba street (the police gave instrrtetions that the men were not to be allowed to go further on the road. Mounteds rode m front, and blocked progress. They steadily forced the demonstrators on to the footpaths. A large crowd had assembled, and much congestion resulted, but the police succeeded m effecting a clearance and restoring normal conditions without recourse to extreme measures. It was at first thought that the men's march was the result of an important announcement from the Federation Conference, but that body has not yet disclosed the result of 'its deliberations. Tlie Strike Committee states it had no knowledge of tho men's intention to parado the streets. Thfro is good reason for stating it is practically certain the" seamen aro prepared to resume work under the Arbitration Act. ' It is understood that the formation of an Arbitraion Seamen's Union m Auckland has complicated matters, but this will probably be overcomo to-day. . The Ngakutu r is duo to-night with i 2100 tons of Newcastle coal. (Pit Ptpm Association.) AUCKLAND, tliis day. The charge of seditious utterances against Robert Semple is proceeding at the Police Court. Reginald Haycock and Robert Rolson, two reporters, testified to the words' used on the occasion m question. Rolspn said his impression was that a collision was not desirable from a strikers' point of view, but if attacked it was ri^ht for strikers to retaliate. He believed Semple was not deliberately inciting the crowd to violence, but he was more excited than witness remembered previously to have seen him. ... Constable Smith" said the crowd Semple was addressing ha<l been worked w> to a state of frenzy. He was satisfied Semple was desirous of inciting the men to violence. There was much excitement, which was only quietened towards the end, when Semple told the crowd 'to go home quietly. He told them on no account were they to commit an act of violence. Detective Gouldie was questioned by the Crown counsel regarding events preceding that m respect to which Semple was charged. Messrs Hall and Skelton, Semple's conn, sel. objected. The Magistrate noted the objection, but permitted the evidence. Detective Gouldie gave, evidence as to interferencd by watersiders with the unloading of the Tofua's cargo, and the noed for subsequent police protection. Hp referred to stone-throwing and other incidents, and added that the strikers hnid endeavored to take matters into thpi'r own hands. Cross-examined, he said he could not say whether the strikers' conduct on the wharves was actuated by the idea that it wae within their province as pickets. The case is proceeding.