THE SYDNEY STRIKE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10300, 3 November 1911, Page 1

THE SYDNEY STRIKE.

ATTITUDE OF THE GOVERNMENT. WORK OF PORT MUST PROCEED. United Frois Associatior.—-'By Elcctno Tolograph—Copyright. SYDNEY, November 2. A special meeting of the Cabinet discussed the strike, and subsequently Mr M'Gowen stated that the work or the port must be carried on. The Government would take all necessary steps to prevent trade being suspended. The Government would appoint an arbitration tribunal immediately to consider the trouble. Trades unionists support the Government's attitude. Mr M'Gowen added that since the commencement of the trouble, realising the danger of its spreading, he and his colleagues had used endeavours to secure the resumption of work. They were astounded at the wharf labourers extending the strike to the deep-sea men. To persist in such a strike would cause serious injury to general trades unionism and industrial arbitration. It would lay open trades unionists to tho reproach that agreements solemnly entered into could be flagrantly violated. He still believed that the Wharf Labourers' Union had not grasped the seriousness of the situation. The State was face to face with a general stoppage of transport work, v.'hioli would spell disaster to the men concerned and the .whole community. The-strikers, had -made ;* serious mistake, acting as enemies to trades unionism. Be urged them in their own interests and the interests of trades unionism to immediately resume and suVnit the dispute to arbitration. Whatever tho consequences, the Government was determined to discharge its duties to the community. Jf immediate resumption on all the wharves wore decided on tho serious consequences which otherwise would he inevitable would be averted. This was a time when all trade unionists should stand by the declared policy of industrial arbitration and assist the Government in vindicating it. SHIPPING CONGESTED.

DISSATISFACTION OF DEEP-SEA MEN. NEW ZEALAND VESSELS AFFECTED. SYDNEY, November 2. The sudden action of the deep-sea men completely surprised the shipowners and greatly accentuated the congestion. The effect is particularly felt in connection with a number of partially loaded or unloaded overseas vessels added to the long list of coastal and inter-State vessels already .held up. A strong section of the deep-sea men freely expressed their dissatisfaction at the stoppage. A petition has beon extensively signed asking the executive to call another special mass meeting. It is understood that arrangements are being made to hold it on Saturday. The Shipowners' Federation will probably meet to-morrow to discuss tho situation.

Addressing one of a number of impromptu meetings to-day a prominent member of the Wharf Labourers' Union declared that the action of the Union in calling the men out without warning was liko a burglar entering a man's house. Tho whole thing was unconstitutional and illegal. Ho would rather loso the whole of tho Society's funds than act dishonestly like this. Tho unwonted work is beginning to tell on the clerks hnd permanent hands. In consequence some of the companies are curtailing the already small consignments, refusing to receive more cargo. The deep-sea men's action left tho Tofua's cargo of bananas partially unloaded, the fruit merchants' clerks .finishing the wo'rk. The Moana has iiot been touched since her arrival, and so with other vessels, while the crews of some deep-sea vessels replaced tho wharf labourers.

[From Opk Corrkspondf.^t.] SYDNEY. October 24. Tlio wharf labourers' strike is giving tho New Zealand boats trouble. The IJlimaroa, for Wellington 011 Saturday, left short of seine possible cargo; and the Moeraki, from Wellington to-day, turned out all the Union Company's available clerks, in their old clothes, to truck the goods the seamen delivered from tho v,-inches. Permanent wharf hands looked after the eighty horses on board ; and so well was the exigency met that shippers' and consigners' interests did not seem likely to suffer in any way. The haphazard strike has troubled the Federal Labour Party. The wharf labourers struck, as they work, quite casually., and apparently without consulting the "head centres" in Melbourne. As they art; working under an agreement, and Mr Hughes, the Federal Attorney-General, has signed the agreement as president of tho Union, matters are mixed. The agreement does not seem to have been registered in tho Federal Court: nevertheless. the broach is awkward, because the Federal Labour Party is just now endeavouring to pass legislation extending the powers of the Federal Court, and if the Attorney-General's own Union strikes at whim, in defiance of its Federal agreement, what action i,s to be expected from unions whose presidents are merely ordinary people? However, the wharf labourers have had their " walk about," and appear likely to return to work as suddenly as the/ left it.