THE SEAMEN'S STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 1925, Page 6

THE SEAMEN'S STRIKE.

WHEN THE PINCH IS FELT. PUBLIC WIDL AIWAKEN AND TAKE ACTION (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Oct. 3The Prime Minister having let loose some mild thunder about the strike, the Wellington Chamber of Commerce has contributed its share of the thunder and offers- to support the Government in any action that may be considered necessary. This is all nice stage thunder, but does not get any further forward. The strike has already done incalculable harm, and is destined to do a great deal more. One may ask what can the Government do in this matter and what can any Chamber of Commerce do? Making statements and passing resolutions won’t get the ships moving. The seamen who have refused to work have already been punished, and if they continue contumacious they can be kept in gaol, but that won’t move the ships. The ships can, of course, be manned by free labour, but what is the reward of free labour after the strike is broken? One speaker at the Chamber of Com- ; mcrce meeting remarked that what happened in 1913 with the shipping strike is likely to happen again. If these idle seamen are not prepared io take their ships to sea, men are coming down from the country to co-operate with the men of the city in handling the steamers. This is brave talk, but there is an election on just now, and the candidates won’t like to see men leaving their districts and not voting. Unless the seamen voluntarily resume work, there is every chance of the strike continuing for some weeks longer; if it does so, then it will become the concern of the whole of the people of New Zealand to see that the strike is ended, and when the whole of the people move they won’t give stage thunder. So far the strike has done no perceptible harm. It has, however, helped the profiteers. As soon as the people feel the pinch of the strike they will wake up and take action. Every day the strike continue® lessens the political prospects of the Labour Party.