UGLY BUSINESS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 47, 25 October 1913, Page 5

UGLY BUSINESS.

WATERSIDERS' STRIKE. INCIDENTS ON THE WHARVES. [Per Press Association.] Wellington, October 24. The waterside workers' strike assumed a graver aspect to-day. In the morning there was no serious developments, no strikers whatever being allowed on the main wharf. Later in the day there were signs of growing uneasiness, and the crisis came when a determined effort was made to rush the gate. The police were unable to quell the invaders, who swept down the wharf and clambered on to the Navua, where a serious melee took place, one of the foremen stevedores being badly injured, through being hit on the head with a broken bottle. On other vessels the free laborers were subjected to a trying time, and the demeanor of the strike has completely changed. The union officials openly exhort the men to keep order, and so far they have ' been listened to, but occasion-

ally individuals take matters into their own hands. "1 know how to stop a strike," boasted a man in the vicinity of the Taviuni yesterday. "Do you?" said a bystander. "Stop this one, then." And he knocked the speaker down. There have been a few similar incidents, but they are the result of individual direct action. A youthful member -of the staff of one of the shipping offices, who took advantage of the opportunity to earn some extra poeket-money last evening, complained of having ' been assaulted by a watersider when on his way home from the wharf. " The Scab!"

At one o'clock the crowd began to collect again. One individual appeared with a photo enlargement of a snap-shot of an alleged "scab," the name being underneath. He paraded round among the crowd with the photo, hung by a string round his neck, like a sandwich man, There was cries of " the scao!" and voluble objurgations. The throng thickened round the gates, and there was a threatening murmur all the time at carts passing in and out. Taking advantage of the entry of a cart, the crowd rushed through the gates, and the small force of police and Harbor Board officials being powerless against their numbers, they at once had a free hand. Their object was the coastal steamer Defender, where four men from the office of Bannantyne and Co. (Mr Kitching in charge) were loading the vessel. . A scuffle ensued, Mr Kitching received a blow to which he retaliated.

The arrival of Captain Munro, chief wharfinger, and other officials, put a stop to this, and the crowd surged into F shed, where a noisy scene followed. Some order was restored, and after speeches by watersiders' delegate and by Capt Munro,the union men left the wharf, on the condition that the four free workers also left. A guarantee was obtained from the unionists that the ''free" men would be allowed to go back to their office unmolested, and at length the latter did so. As they made,, their way through the crowd there was some booing and hooting, but they reached their destination unharmed.

Speeches were made in front of Bannantyne's office, and cheers were given for Mr Kitching and his co-work-ers, and for Capfc. Munro. On the way back to the wharf Capt. Munro paused by the entrance to the Queen's Chambers to answer questions? by the strikers. He said that if the union gave a guarantee that the free laborer would not be molested in any way he would let the men go This was received with applause, and the Harbour Board officers made their way back to the wharf, having satisfied themselves that the employees of Messrs Bannantyne and Co. Mere not likely to resume work at the Defender. Man Wounded by Broken Bottle. The unionists' then again assembled in front of the main gates at the Queen's "Wharf. A Cry soon went up to rush the Xavua, and the crowd broke through the barricade and then forcibly demanded that the free laborers working on the Xavua should come ashore. Several watersiders attempted to board the vessel, and some were successful. In the rush through the opening an employee was

hit with a broken bottle, which inflicted a severe wound. He was taken away for medical attention. The mob jeered and hooted those working on board, whilst the watersiders sorted out the "free" men. When one of the unionists made an endeavour to come oft' the vessel again, he was apparently roughly handled by an officer, and at this the strikers became infuriated, and a riot seemed likely. Meantime the gangway was lowered, amid loud hooting. A strike leader was, after persisting for a while, given a hearing, and then appealed to the men to allow Mr Mu/iro to be heard. The gangway was again raised, and the chief wharfinger assured the men that if they would go off the wharf the "free" laborers on board the ship would come ashore.

A "picket" on the ship ascertained that there were four "scabs" aboard, and when satisfied that these would do no more work the watersiders changed their scene of operations. During the rush on this boat one worker, evidently well known to the strikers, was asked by several to "put on his coat," but the earnest appeals had no effect, with the exception that he threatened to seriously hurt one of the leaders of the strikers. The crowd next visited the Queen

of the South, where, after some disorder, it was agreed that the free laborers would be knocked off. MeanwJiue the crowd outside, some of whom were wild with excitement, began to stop ladeu carts and lorries. One prominent striker mounted a lorry and was preparing to urge strong measures to induce the drivers to come out, when he was pulled down by his more prudent comrades. Four free laborers working on the Dorset were pelted with stones by the strikers, but kept on with their operations, in spite of a shower of missiles. Later in the day, however, they ceased work, and it is assumed that they were persuaded to do so by

the pickets. At 3.15 p.m. the strikers made a rush at the double gates between M shed and the Harbor Board's building. Bursting open the gates, they got a little way on to the wharves, but were driven back by a force of ten policemen. Another crowd made a rush at the gate farther south, but were unsuccessful in their attempt to burst it open in order to get at the free laborers on the Taviuni. A MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. The Minister for Justice (the Hon. A. L. Herdman) made the following statement to-night regarding the strike:—"Every precaution is being taken to protect people going about their business, and arrangements have been made already this afternoon to provide for reinforcements of police. The men will arrive in the city from different parts of the country immediately. Down at the gates of the wharf to-morrow's traffic will be properly controlled and regulated by the police, and as far as, it lies in their power they will permit only persons having business on the wharves to go on. If the trouble assumes a graver aspect, and it is found that the police force available is not adequate to guard people who have business to transact upon the wharves, the extreme step of swearing in special constables will be taken. It is to be hoped, however, that this course will not be necessary."

All has been quiet on the wharves to-night.

THE MEN WON'T RESUME. NO WORK DOING. Wellington, October 25. The Waterside Workers' Union met this morning, and after nearly two hours' deliberation unanimously decided not to resume work on the conditions laid down by the employers. The ships will remain tied up. No work is going on. GETTING BOLDER. SIGNS OF MISCHIEF. Just after the meeting at which it was decided not to resume work on the conditions laid down, the strikers learned that cargo was being worked on the coastal steamer Defender by members of the vessel's crew. A demand that the sailors should knock off was made by the strikers, who swarmed all over : the ship. Tfie invaders were driven back, but kept alongside the steamer until her hatches were closed. A little later the crowd broke through the cordon at the entrance to the Queen's Wharf and rushed round to where the Nikau, from Nelson, was lying. The cargo by that vessel was also being worked by the crew. Mr Munro, the wharfinger, appeared on the scene, and asked the men if they would go off the wharf if work was stopped on the Nikau. The promise was given, and work was suspended accordingly. On condition that no damage was done to the Board's property the strikers were allowed access to the wharves. During last night some person or persons unloosened the stoppers of bottles in a wharf shed containing sulphuric acid. The liquid ran over the wharf and difficulty was experienced in dealing with it this morning.

BREAKING THE BARRIER.

HUNT FOR FREE LABOR

About 1 o'clock to-day a large crowd of strikers rushed the barrier being arected at the Railway A\ narf to keep tho strikers off the wharf. They used a heavy beam of timber as a battering ram and completely demolished the structure, which was built of stout timber, afterwards throwing the debris into the harbor. Afterwards' the crowd rushed the s.s. Monowai, but the gangway was let down in time. They then went to the steamer Kaiapai, but the coal hulk was being towed away at the time and operations had ceased on the vessel. Subsequently the crowd proceeded to the steamer Dorset,, where the captain permitted six men to board the vessel to search for free labor. None was found.

EFFECT UPON COASTAL CRAFT.

Wangamii, October 25

A local shipping firm received a telegram this morning from Wellington that shipowners had decided to stop running all cargo vessels until sufficient police protection is available. The crew of the Waipawa which arrived this morning have been paid off and the steamer is to be laid up.