WHARF STRIKE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144235, 28 October 1913, Page 3

WHARF STRIKE.

NO "WORK YESTERDAY MEN STILL CONTROL AFFAIRSPER PRESS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, Oct. 27. The Labour Day holiday had the 6ifeet of making all quiet on the wharves to-day. Although no cargo, was worked the wharves were crowded With strikers and the general public. The ferry steamers were busy running people to the Labour picnic at Day’s Bay- . A meeting of strikers' was held m the morning, and, -after lasting two hours, Mr. F. Curtice, president of The Waterside 'Workers’ Union, then told the waiting pressmen that the men bail clearly indicated that they would, stand solidly together, and were determined to go on with the strike, further, Mr. Curtice stated that a, meeting of thp.strike committee Was m progress, but ■ there was nothing arising out of its deliberations which it was considered advisable to divulge to the press. . . A feature of the strike is the comprehensive system of picketing that has been adopted by the strikers. All the .water-front is being patrolled and. shipping closely watched. A number of the ■:'rikors are also engaged ill. what is known as ‘’special duty,” and there is not a move in regard to the shipping that is not promptly reported to the strike officers. Outside, the office of the union in Queen's Chambers are posted lists of the pickets, and all day these have been closely scanned by the strikers, who have all manifested a keen desire to do their part in the work of picketing. The Harbour Board’s permanent men have been formed into a police or patrol body for protecting the hoard’s property. The men are. on duty in eight-hour watches all the time, 50 men in each watch. . Twdi sticks of dynamite _ were found by the Harbour Board officers yesterday, planted at the wall in the bonding warehouse. There was no fuse at, tached. A P fl 9 of "' ood .shavings and other combustible materials was also found heaped up against one of the Harbour Board's sheds, as if ready for, firing. ■ ■ , Much interest centred around the arrival- of the Gorintliic from London and, Hobart, with, a large number of immigrants on board. The ship anchored in the stream for medical inspection, and riiearitime Captain Monro, the Harbour Board's wharfinger, conferred with the representatives of the strike committee. It was agreed that the crow and passengers themselves should be allowed their personal effects. It was recognised by -the strike officials that most of the people who were seeking their fortunes in a strange land were mostly of the working class, with only a very limited capital at their command, and that to hold them up to any serious delay in their plans would mean inflicting a heavy hardship on them.

After the port health officer had inspected the steamer, she berthed at the Queen’s Wharf. Many of the strikers and. the public made their way to the end of the wharf to see the landing of the immigrants. A barrier was stretched across the ■ wharf, as is customary when a vessel reaches port or departs, and admission was strictly by ticket. The harbour officials had agreed that half-a-dozen pickets should be permitted aboard thr' ship to see that the handling of tin! luggage was confined only to the and the passengers, and there was nothing in the shape of any disorderhness. A largo number of applications have been received for enrolment as special constables, and the names have been duly registered, but, so far, no enrolment "has actually taken _ place. Amongst the applications received, a large percentage is from the country, and both men and horses are offered for duty. ' ' . , Tire State Coal Department has only about ten days’ supply of household coal in its Wellington depot, but it has about 2000" tons on board two of the steamers that are tied up - in the harbour here. The whole of tug Poherua’s cargo (about 1000 tons) is for the State Department, having been shipped at Greympnth from the Port Elizabeth mine, - and there is also 500 tons from the Seddonyille mine on board 'the Komata. The balance (1000 tons) is. for the Westport Coal Company! The State Department also has 1000 tons of steam coal on its hulk in Wellington Harbour. The Blackball Company's collier Ngahcre is anchored off Kaiwarra, with n full cargo of coal, which the company has made no attempt to discharge. People generally await to-morrow s events' with a good deal of curiosity, and, in some cases, apprehension. The indications are, however, that no attempt will be made to work the cargo on the ships, and several liners will probably go out into the stream and wait tdl a settlements reached. The big steamer Northern left the wharf this evening, and others will follow during the night .or in the morning. Tile Hon. A. L. Herdman, Minister for Justice, made the following statement to-night the strike;— The public "can rest assured that everything is being done by the Government to maintain law and order, and to ensure that protection is afforded to tho citizens and their property. At the present, however,. beyond stating that the Government is' taking action with these ends in view, it is impossible for me to make, any detailed statement, RACEHORSES HEt,D UP. WELLINGTON, Oct. 28. On account' of the waterside strike tho Uhlan Company is hot prepared to ship any racehorses from Wellington at present. "There are over one hundred here that have to be Shipped south within a 1 week to take part at Christchurch in the New Zealand Cup meeting. FOOD SUPPLIES DELAYED.. At tho wharf gates this morning - the union pickets began by blocking the passage of provisions and stores to the ships, including meat, milk and vegeSeeing this. Bruce, -chief of the pickets, said those provisions' should be allowed to go through. If was futile to starve out men, whose support the waterside workers required. He referred to the-seamen. If the, men who stopped the provisions did not like the action of th'c strike committee in permitting provisions to go through they could turn out the committee ail’d get another one. This statement was received with more approval than dissent. Some provisions were allowed to go through. All the ships m port, except those leaving, will anchor in the harbour, including the Government steamer Tutanokai. Several, however, haying wireless telegraphy, also Morse signalling, will be in constant -touch with the shore. ~ , A crowd of about 300 was addressed in Post Officb Square this morning by

Canham, president of the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union, He said there had been a hard job to prevent a waterside workers’ strike in; Auckland. If the strike, committee decided to plaqe the matter, in the. hands of the Upited Federation of Labour he had no doubt that body would he able to create an industrial fire which would take a very long while to put out. FLAXWOEKERS’ CONGRATULATIONS, '' PALMERSTON N.; Oct. 28. . The Manawatn Flaxworkers’ Executive this morning passed a resolution congratulating the watersiders on their solidarity, offering any assistance in their .power. Ip. response to. Inspector Cullen’s appeal for horses, it wps decided to offer to provide the water,--riders with horses. Sympathy was also expressed with the Huntly miners. FARMERS READY FOB WORK. FEXLDING, Opt, 28. A gang of ajjoui'Bo farrps and, their sons and others is being organised her® to go, to Wellington to work oh the wharves. It is conridored tint 700 men can fee got from the Manawatn district foj the purpose.. ARRIVAL OF H.M.S. PSYCHE. WELLINGTON, Oct. 28. H.M.S. Psyche, third-class cruiser, which it was reported had left Sydney for Auckland last Wednesday, arrived in, Wellington shortly after six this morning. • THE PSYCHE BERTHED. WELLINGTON, Oct. 28. The Maitai, ' which arrived from Auckland at 7 a.m., only remained in port a little over three hours* .'leaving again for the South about 10 o’clock. It is expected that 1 H.M.S. Psyche, which arrived from Sydney direct this morning, will bo the only vessel at any wharf, by 4 o’clock, this afternoon. All the. others in port will then be in the stream. The Union 'Coffipaify’s big laundry van, which was going on to the Queen’s Wharf-, was, tprjxed bade by the strikers'. 1 A CONFERENCE PROBABLE. BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORBBSPONDEHT. WELLINGTON, Oct. 28. The Prime Minister states that it has, practically, but'not definitely, been arranged that a conference, shall take place this evening. " PRIME MINISTER AT-.GONEEBMCaS BE TBLEOBAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT, WELLINGTON, Oct. 28. A conference, over which the Prime Minister will preside, is 'expected to take place this evening. LOCAL DAIRY PRODUCE. Unless the strike is very prolonged, it is not likely to cause any very serious, inconvenience so far as, tjpe, local dairy produce is’concerned. Anticipating the possibility of labour troubles the directors of the Producers’ Cooperative Freezing Company recently carried out extensive additions to its works at Moturoa so that fit would be ,in a position to store a considerable quantity of butter and cheese and it is now able to carry on for six or; seven weeks, at any rate. At Patea unfortunately, we understand, the position, is of. a somewhat more serious nature as the storage apt commodation at the freezing work® there is limited and’ that the company has bad to fall' back upon :t&: riastoi steamers to store the pr-gqlgoe.- in; the meantime. ’ ’ " - ATHENIC DELAYED. . Mr. Newton King has received a. wire from Levin and Co.PWeflm^h,'staging the departure of the, Atheuio is indefinitely postponed- ojvrng to th!a strike. ; ~, .