STRIKE LULL OVER. – SPECIALS CHARGE CROWED WHILE BULLETS RAIN

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10916, 4 November 1913, Page 1

STRIKE LULL OVER. - SPECIALS CHARGE CROWED WHILE BULLETS RAIN

DISORDER: IN WELLINGTON.

STREET CLEARED BY MOUNTED MEN.

REVOLVERS FIRED AND STONES THROWN.

BLOOD FLOWS. A LAMENTABLE AFFRAY. MOUNTED POLICE CHARGE CROWD. STRIKERS HURL STONES. SEVERAL PEOPLE WOUNDED. [From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, November 3. To the lull that has characterised the strike during the last two days there succeeded to-night a storm bedside whose violence the rioting that had previously occurred fades into insignificance. Btween seven and eight o'clock tonight three charges by mounted special constables were made near the Defence Department's buildings, and when it was all over, and the tact and courage of one brave soldier had prevailed where overwhelming force had failed, it . was discovered that a Permanent Force sergeant-major had been ■ wounded by a stone, , that two boys had been shot seriouslv, and that numbers of special .constables and civilians were bearing more or less serious marks of the aff About 7 p.m. several hundreds of people were congregated about the corner of Buckle Street. The majority, it appeared, were actuated'by nothing more, than idle curiosity. Two of the regular police on - horseback patrolled --«sSrrgp-Q«;- keeping fairly good-'-'order, among', the ever-encroachmg crowd. The noisy element did "not concern itself either, with the permanent police or i the*. artillery, - but devoted all •, the . fluency of it's verbal volleys to the special constables, who it was known were in the drill hall. - . Just after 7 p.m. the order was given that' the crowd should be cleared ' back some distance, and two mounted men set out to give effect to the order. The men they found docile and obedient enough, but two women flatly declined to move from the positions they,had taken on the footpath. The crowd cheered and encouraged them, and the constables, evidently loth to use the force which it was manifest would be required to move the militant women, accepted the defeat. The advice ,was then given that a hose would be turned on the crowd, and almost immediately after three leads were brought to bear with salutary effect,'the crowd giving way before this method of persuasion. While all, this had been going forward the crowd, gaining recruits from all quarters,, had swelled to nearly two thousand, but with the hose-water flying there was nothing to indicate further trouble. A NON-COM. OFFICER HURT. Suddenly, the water stopped, only to flow again as the over-venturesome pressed too close. Then abruptly the water ceased again, and as the protection it afforded to men behind was removed, a missile was thrown from the opposite side of Taranaki Street, and Sergeant-Major Thompson was hit on the head. He fell badly hurt. Before the astonished and horrified crowd had recovered from their surprise a large body of special constables charged, and, with horses galloping and batons flying, cleared the roadway and the footpath. The panic-stricken crowd retreated precipitately in all directions, and cries of surprise, terror and rage greeted the charge. A few missiles were thrown. Men, women and children were knocked down, and an old man Getting in the way was struck with a aton. Having regained the crest of Buckle Street, the specials came back again, and tnis time swept Taranaki Street clear. THE SHOOTING BEGINS. Shots began to spit from the ranks of the crowd under an adjacent verandah, and bullets rattled against 'the brick walls of the Defence Offices. A boy was reported to have got under the feet of one of the horses at the corner of Webb Street, and the animal tramping on his uncovered foot badly crushed three oj his toes. The boy tried to riso and it is then alleged that he was shot in the shoulder. At about the same time, lower down Taranaki Street another boy was stated to have been injured in the foot. THE LAST CHARGE. The last charge of the specials was Made straight from Buckle Street and along Arthur Street almost as far as the Boys' Institute Buildings. • Urging their horses to , a wild gallop the specials dashed along the darK narrow street, sparks flying from the ironshod hoofs of the horses. Residents who had come to their doorways and on to the street to ascertain the cause of the rioting were taken by Burprise and a hurried retreat inside oared them from injury. ' Past the scattering mob at the head the street and past the frightened residents the madly galloping troops pwept wildly . on, while one, man, his lieaL outrunning his discipline, rede on the footpath and struck over the fence of a residence at some persons behind. When they had almost reached Cuba Street -the front ranks of the troop pulled up abruptly and the rest careering on' collided heavily with thera. In B moment the tangle was sorted out, and the squadron returned up the and back to the Defonco BmMing. - major hume Pacifies Mfi . CROWD. Prior to the first charise.a squad of

FURTHER RIOTS

Permanent Artillery men under Major J. E. Hume were guarding the end of Buckle Streot. Seeing from tho impending rush that his men would be endangered the Major moved them back. After tho, third rush he requested and was given permission to try and pacify the crowd, now maddened by tear, indignation and rage. With about half a dozen' men he advanced to the crowd, and going in front of his small band and advancing his hands to show that lie was unarmed, he advise-d them to go quietly away.

The effect was remarkable. The crowd that but a moment before had screamed defiance and'hurled all sorts of missiles at the mounted men listened in silence to Major Hume and the hubbub thereafter died away to occasional jeers at the special constables. The walls of some houses were perforated by bullets and . the residents were terrified. SIX PEOPLE BADLY HURT. It is stated, that six people were badly hurt in the affray. AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT. ' COMMISSIONER INTERVIEWED. NO SHOOTING BY THE POLICE. [Per Press Association.]WELLINGTON, November 3. " We cannot allow, people to gather and block tho thoroughfare doing such damage as has bam, done.., The road- { way will have to bo kept clear,«t 4 all: costs. Crowds are not. going to Lake possession of tho streets/' These statements were made by tho Commissioner, of Police, Mr John Cullen, who with Colonel Knox and several other officers of the Permanent Force was on the spot during practically the whole of the, disturbance in Buckle Street. After his return to his office ho was supplied with official reports. He said that his information was that,the principal casualty was on the side .of law and order. , , Sergeant-Major Thompson, of the Permanent Artillery, was struck on the head with a piece of rock or an iron bolt and was taken to the hospital suffering, from a eevere scalp wound and a slight concussion of the brain. No one was sliotj according to reports sent in to headquarters. No shots were , fired by the police or permanent men> but at least a dozen shots were fired from different parts of the crowd. Asked for an official version of the disturbance, 1 Commissioner Cullen said that it arose from an attempt on the part of the police to disperse the crowd which for some time had been congregated in the vicinity. Continual complaints had been received that the crowd was blocking the roadway and that a section of the people had been using tho most abusive and insulting language. The insults were directed not only at the Permanent Artillerymen who were guarding the approaches to the Garrison Hall and barracks, but at passers-by who were forced to run the gauntlet of jeers and cries of "Scab," and similar opprobrious remarks. This was suffered in silence for a considerable time, but the authorities "determined that the street must be cleared. The crowd then had possession of the road and would not move on request. About seven o'clock. a detachment of the regular police, who were mounted, tried to get . the crowd to move on, but without success. Men in the crowd began to interfere with the constable's horses. by catching hold of the bridles and throwing things in the animals' faces. Stones and other missiles began to fly. It was at this time that SergeantMajor Thompson was struck down. He was not with the police' who were endeavouring to disperse the crowd, but was standing on Buckle Street with the Permanent .Artillery guard. The missile, whatever it' was, hit him on the head, and he, fell. STONES FLEW FREELY. Failing to get the people to more, the police warned them that the hose would be turned upon them. This had no effect whatever, but Very soon the crowd became more angrily demonstrative, and stones flew freely. Thereupon the hose was brought into operation. • At first the water was played on to the roadway, but the crowd took practically no notice, and at length tho hose was turned full upon it. This caused the assemblage to fall back somewhat. Shots were fired by someone among the crowd. "Then," said Commissioner Cullen, "we thought it was time to take strong measures to clear the streets. A small detachment of mounted police and epecial constables was ordered out for this duty. The instruction given to tlio men was that they were not to use either their hands or any implements, but were merely to use their horses to clear the streets quietly." The appearance of the Mount Eden men was greeted with further shooting from under the verandahs. Commissioner Cullen said that he himself saw that several shots were fired from one particular point. Two shots were fired by one man standing under a verandah, and another man within a yard and a half of him fired a coupl« more, all being at the police. No shooting was done in reply by the police, who at length succeeded in clearing the streets, and at 10.30 Colo-

nel Knox reported to him that all wns quiet. SHOOTING BY SPECIALS. A LEGISLATOR'S • STATEMENT. [From Ora Cobbesfondknt.] WELLINGTON. November 3. It is stated bp Mr Robertson, Labour member for Otaki, that in the trouble at Buckle Street tonight when Sergeant Thomson was cut over an eye with a stone, some mounted police, fired their revolvers. He saw a civilian being attended to in a neighbouring fruit shop. This man had been shot in the shoulder. As further evidence of the shooting he is in possession of a heavy pistol bullet which hit a brick wall and then struck a lad of fourteen on the thigh doing no injury. MORE ABOUT SHOOTING. A Civil Servant supports the version of this affair. He informed a representative of the '' Lyttelton Times" that he was in Webb Street when the mounted men dispersed the crowd. After some' stone throwing, one mounted man fired in the air and the Civil Servant remarked/'" It's blank cartridge." This particular eonstable rode on, but others turned their horses back down the street. Only a dozen people were left and several shots rang out. A SPECTATOR HIT. The man next to the Civil Servant shouted "I'm shot" and the little group fell back against the door of a second-hand shop. It gave way and they rushed inside for safety. A bullet then whizzed through the' window. , Tho man who complained of having been shot was examined and it Was found" that a bullet had traversed his breast.without entering the body. It left a severe wound which bled freely. The Civil Servant was told that a child had been shot in the foot. •

settlement of the trouble, and there were indications yesterday that they would not bo inclined to cavil afc tlio terms of settlement so long as t.heso did not involve n n actual retrogression upon present conditions. ULTIMATUM RECEIVED QUIETLY. " A FIGHT TO A FINISH. ' A . report that the shipping employers had decided to enter into a conference only oh the basis of registering any agreement arrived at under the Arbitration Act was circulated in Lyttcifcon about 3.30 p.m., through , the medium of telegraphic messages received by the various shipping offices, through the newspaper offices in the port, and through a message sent to the president of tRo Waterside Workers' Union by one of tho officials of the Federation in Wellington, The news spread : rapidly through Xytteltoiij and was received very quietly. It was at once taken for granted in all quarters that the ultimatum would act as a bar to a peaceful settlement of the trouble, and regret was very generally expressed that a settlement was not arrived at. VARIED OPINIONS. The opinions expressed on the matter varied almost-with every individual, .in the shipping offices, naturally, the view, was taken that on the whole the employers, had. taken a firm and justifiable stand.- The opinion in this quarter seemed to be that the time had come when Mr Scrapie must be crushed. Jt was' not so much a question of giving tlie, men a salutary lesson as oi' "smashing" their reputed leader, whose utterances have apparently made him'..a much-hated man. with the shipping interests. Regret was expressed that there should be. a prospect -of. conflict between tho strikers and the forces 'sent to subjugate them, but it was confidently anticipated that after ono experience of.

TEE CONFERENCE, PROSPECTS DISCUSSED. A PESSIMISTIC VIEW. [From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, November 3. To-night a Conference is in progress in the Cabinet roonj at Government Buildings, under the presidency of the Prime Minister. Each side has seven representatives. The' employers' delegates include Messrs W. jPryor (secretary of the .New Zealand Employers' Association), J. W. Jack (New Zealand Farmers' Union), W. A.. Kennedy (Wellington manager of the Union Steam Ship Company) and G. liarknesa (secretary of the National Dairy Association), while the men's representatives include Messrs Semple (oz-ganiser of the United Federation of Labour), W. T. Young (president), P. Hickey (secretary), H. Yoy.ce (president of Lyttelton waterside workers), G. Stone and W. Parry (members of the Federation Executive). A POOR OUTLOOK. Telegraphing at 10 P-m., the outlook is ! not hopeful. The Conference has been sitting three hours without a sign of rising. _ Each side went to the Conference feeling that it had a good chance of winning if it kept firm. Developments among the seamen to-day satisfied the workmen's delegates that, if any attempt is made to use free labour, a very big extension of the trouble will immediately take place, whilo th® employers, with a knowledge of the forces at the command of ..the police and the anxiety of the farmers to .get produce loaded on, the English steamers, believe that-their terms must be accepted. ■ The Prime Minister informed me before the Conference opened that the position was quite open for general discussion. I hear from another direction that the outcome of the long discussion among the employers to-day is a determination to insist upon an agreement under the Arbitration Court. A LATER REPORT. NO SETTLEMENT SO FAR. CONFERENCE TO RESUME TODAY. [From Ocr Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, November 3. The conference adjourned at 11 p.m. without coming to a settlement. It will be resumed at 2 p.m. to-morrow; ■ lb is generally understood that free labour will not be employed on the steamers while negotiations are going on. AWAITING THE NEWS. ANXIETY IN LYTTELTON. The greatest anxiety was expressed in every quarter in the port yesterday morning regarding the outcome of the conference in Wellington. The business people wore more concerned about a settlement than the basis of settlement. They earnestly desired peace, and the majority of the strikers appeared to have a similar desire. It aeemed to be felt pretty generally that th# Federation's olive branch ought to bo accepted, and that under wise guidance the conference should be brougnt to a successful issue. The waterside workers in Lyttelton have the best of reasons for desiring a speedy

the powers at tho disposal of the forces of law and order the strikers would give up the battle and allow the' free 1 labourers to work unmolested. IN TRADING CIRCLES. Among the tradesmen in the port the news was received with symptoms of annoyance. The general feeling appeared to be that neither the Federation of Labour nor the ship-owners were showing any consideration for the ordinary commercial interests of the, dominion. Some of , the retailers expressed the opinion tliat tho offer made by the Federation had provided* a possible solution for the whole trouble, and that its non-acceptance was evidence of a desire on the part of the ship-owners to foment the trouble for their own ends. again, sided wholeheartedly with the employers, and said that the strikers could have expected no other answer after their refusal to accept the terms offered' them in the first instance. THE FERRY SERVICE. FIREMEN GIVE TROUBLE. FIFTY MINUTES' WRANGLING. [From; Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, November 3. At 9.50 to-night the Mapourika, well filled with passengers but carrying no cargo save'tho mails, °;ot away from Wellington wharves for Lyttelton. liio 'departure seemed doubtful till the ropes nad actually been cast off, because it was only a moment before that the last fireman had been cajoled to make th®' trip. At sailing time it was reported that only two firemen were aboard. -Six more were wanted, and an engineer made a not unfamiliar round ashore on the hunt for them. Meanwhile several stokehole workers on the wharf argued out the various aspects of the strike and some cheerfully assured intending passengers that they would not get seasick that night, anyhow. . The post office men brought the mails down and they were quickly put aboard. ALTERNATIVE STEAMER ARRIVES. At 8.15 the gangway was still out. Tho firemen wrangled and the prospect looked hopeless. Then the Government steamer Hinemoa came quietly up to the other side of the wharf ready for sea, with four days' provisions. Word went around that if tho Union steamer did not get away in fifteen minutes the Hinemoa would take the mails. A fow of the Mapourika's firemen had an idea that as the Wahine men had come out the smaller steamer had no right' to take the mails, but tho argument became quite pointless when a triumphant engineer came along with a trio of willing ones. THE LAST MA >7. As they ran up the gangway some officers patted a burly dissentient on the back. "Come along, Mac, you're the last man," they shouted. "Am IP" replied the startled fireman, who had just been protesting that lie could not' tako the Mapourika oat alone against a southerly; '' not on your life.' '■ But "Mac" did not want to be left behind, so casting away his former resolves 'ho rejoined his ship. Still another wait while a fireman threatened a wharf officer with a "left-hander" if he dared cast off the spring rope. Some stokehold men lowered a ropo from tho Mapourika's fore-deck and friendly advisers ashore and afloat urged "Mac" to climb it. He could not resist the

flattering attention, and in a few seconds was being hauled over the rail. Amid wild applause, without further delay tho Mapourika headed out to sea and away from the disputatious atmosphere. THE LITTELTON END. MAORI'S MEH NOT OUT. VESSEL GETS AWAY QUIETLY. So far there is no new development in connection with tho ferry service. Inquiries made yesterday show that the firemen on tho Maori aro standing loyal to .'the instructions or their general secretary, Mr W. Belcher, but now 'that the men on board the Wahine have resigned their fellow-work-ers on the Maori feel the position most keenly. The officers of the ship look upon their present stokehold workers as good workmen, and the men themselves are by no means anxious to leave tho ship. They are, however, placed in a peculiar position, and, being Unionists, many of them are of opinion that by keeping in their present employment outside members might be inclined to think they are not playing the game, but the men wish it to be understood that they are as as loyal to the cause as anyone! The vessel got away from the wharf at 8.30 p.m., absolutely without 'incident-. One or two pickets watched the mails go aboard, but there was no attempt at interference. The Maori's firemen kept out of Bight;. And there was no chance of the. sti'il{erk conversing with them;;, ,AVith tlie ; exception that the crow.d-.oii -the wharf was a little 'larger than iisiial, there was nothing to suggest that a strike was in progress on the waterfront. MEETING OF SEAMEN AND FIREMEN. A meeting of the seamen and firemen.

who have been paid off in Lyttelton was held at the Coronation Hall last evening at half-past seven. It was stated afterwards that the meeting had been called for the purpose of bringing a little gentle pressure to bear on the firemen of the ferry steamer _ Maori, and inducing them to* hand in their notices. The firemen were a bit dubious about their position, in view of the action of firemen on other steamers of the' Union Company's fleet. They were torn between • loyalty to their Union, which told them to stick to the ship, and loyalty to their comrades, who had handed in their notices. Theywere in. telegraphic communicationwitii the general secretary of their . Union, •Mr W. Belcher, during the day, and received no encouragement from that gentleman to leave. their duty.,,, Four or five of the firemen attended the meeting in the' Coronation Hall, but they were back aboard the Maori before the gangway went up, and it was later stated that they had refused to act without the sanction of their Union. GOVERNMENT STEAMER HUNG UP. FIREMEN DISAPPEAR. [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, November 3. Following on the Mapourika's difficulties, the Hinemoa was the next vessel to be held up. _ Captain Bolions missed a number of his firemen, and it is doubtful whether the' vessel could have got' away with the mails if the Mapourika had been unable to sail. The cause of the trouble with the Hinemoa's men is not known, but it seems doubtful whether it is directly concerned with the attitude of the firemen on the Wahine and Mapourika. At any rate the vessel was obliged to moor at the Queen's Wharf for the night instead of returning to her berth at the wool wharf. "CANNOT AGREE." UNION COMPANY OFFICERS DISSENT. DO NOT INTEND TO COME OUT. A STRONG PROTEST. [Per Press Association.] DUNEDIN, November 3. A number of captains and officers of the Union Company's steamers now laid up at the port called as a deputation at the "Daily Times'' office tonight to express their resentment at certain statements made by Captain Watson, secretary of tho Merchant Service Guild, contained in a Press Association telegram from Wellington. The deputation said they wished to contradict the statements contained in tho telegram, and that at the present time the '' paid off" officers were receiving full pay and board allowance. Even if they were off full pay, said the officers, there was 110 likelihood at all of them coming out in sympathy with the Federation of Labour. They state that, even if free labour was brought in to work the ve.sseLs, they fully intended to.carry out their duty. The following telegram was sent to Captain Watson: " Cannot agree with resolution passed as reported in a Dunedin paper, and do riot understand your attitude in sympathy' with the Federation of Labour, nor are Ave pre-

pared to come out.—'Taviuni, Corimia, Maitaij Kamona." WILL STOP TOO. SEAM AND FIREMEN. IF FREE LABOUR USED. [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON", November 3. Tho meeting of seamen called for noon to-day was attended by 545 men. Four resolutions were carried unanimously, the most important declaring that the seamen would coine out if any attempt was mado to work cargo or coal anywhere with free labour. Confidence was expressed in the action of the local secretary (Mr W. T. Young). The meeting lasted two and a half hours. The resolutions are as follows:—" (1) That this mass meeting of members of the Seamen's Union conveys fraternal greetings to , and sympathy with the watersiaers now fighting for their just rights, and resolves that should ' scab' labour be employed at working cargo on the wharves or vessels or at bunkering ships our members are at once to give twenty-four hours' notice to leave at the final port of discharge, in accordance with tho Shipping Act • and Clause 23 of the agreement with the steamship owners. Under no circumstances are they to work cargo or bunker coal with 1 scab' labour, this being the policy followed by our secretary (Mr Young) and the Wellington executive since the commencement of tho strike. We heartily endorse their action in the dispute." "(2) It being necessary .that-'the men employed at the lighthouses and their wives and families should be supplied with provisions this mass meeting of. members of the Seamen's Union resolves that the crew of the Government s.s. Hinemoa be allowed to continue in their employment so long as ■ the vessel is

exclusively employed at such lighthouse work. Should she be employed-at- any other work the crew are to give 'twenty-four hours' notice to leave at their final port of discharge (Wellington)." "(3)'That we,"the members of the Wellington branch of, the Seamen's Union, condemn the action of , any sailors or firemen asking advice from Dunedin or Auckland when they could get tho best advice from the Wellington branch of the Union." " (4) That the Wellington branch of the Sailors and Firemen's. Union ignores and will not tolerate Dunedin or Auckland representatives demanding the resignation of Mr W. T. Young either as president of the United Federation, of Labour or secretary of the Seamen's Union, and that this branch has every confidence in him as president of the also as secretary of, the Wellington branch of the Seamen's Union, and hopes and trusts he will hold both positions to the bitter end." IF- —, " STRIKE LEADER'S ASSERTION. COLONEL HEARD IN REPLY. THE LAST RESORT. [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, November 3. Speaking at Newtown Park yesterday, ■ Mr H. Holland is reported to have said They had it- from Colonel Heard that the military, if called out, would shoot indiscriminately." . Speaking' to a " Post" reporter this morning in regard to this statement, Colonel, Heard said:—"l have never said any such thing. If unfortunately shooting had to take place, it would be under strict control. Soldiers ■ have to stand a tremendous amount of rough usage before they start to shoot. They try every means in their power to avoid it, and they shoot only when it is absolutely necessary for tho defence of the lives and property of the public, and in their own defence. Before any shooting takes place, the people who are on the spot will be duly warned, and those who have no business will have ample time to get out of the way. "I again emphasise the fact that we do not want bloodshed. We are against bloodshed. We only shoot when we are absolutely forced to do so, after the Riot Act has "been road, and not until a competent civil authority, such as a magistrate, positively orders us to act. The responsibility for what occurs after shooting has commenced does not rest with the soldiers, but with the civil authority who orders it." - STRIKE FEATURES. TWO COHENS. SHOPKEEPER AND PISTOL. MISTAKEN IDENTITY. [From Our Correspondent.! WELLINGTON, November 3. Two Mr Cohens are prominent among the public men in Wellington, one who has been a City Councillor and another on the Harbour Board. This is the explanation of a lively experience which befel Mr Falk Cohen, clothier and mercer, of Willis Street. Three men entered his shop on Saturday night.' "You're Mr Cohen, ain't you?" asked one of the,trio. "Yes, I'm Mr Cohen," v<sf>lied the genial ex-City Councillor. "Mr Cohen of the Harbour Board,

ain't you?" inquired the speaker, embellishing his conversation with expletives. " No, I'm not. A lot of people think I'm that Mr Cohen." . "We know you, and we know you are on the Harbour Board," wa,s the answer, and with that the mail drew a revolver and presented it at Mr Cohen. " Nov;, put that away." Said Mr Cohen, now genuinely alive to the situation/ " It might go off." "It's going to go off," said the man, who appeared to have been drinking. "We are going to perish you." Mr Cohen again explained that ho was not the Mr Cohen who was a member of the Harbour Board, and sought to prove it. His words evidently had a ring of conviction, for one of the other men told tho aggressor to. put his revolver away, and the'third one, backing him up, also urged the gunman to desist, and with , that he replaced the revolver in his pocket. MOUNTED CONSTABLES. STBONS COUNTRY FORCE. TWO THOUSAND SPECIAL POLICE. . [From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, November 3. , The army of special mounted and foot, in Wellington has reached two thousand. Nearly half of tho number havo horses. "We have at the present moment offers from quite a thousand men, all with horses, to come to Wellington," said Polico Commissioner Cullen to the " Lyttelton Times" correspondent this afternoon. ."But we cannot take any more. The offers are from all parts of the Wellington provincial district, and rJso from Taranaki and Hawke's Bay. I can assure, you ,that many men havo come down without any authority from

us. They hare paid their own expenses and brought their own horses, and we have under the circumstances accepted their services." DISCRIMINATION. Complaints that certain Wellington, tram conductors have discriminated against special constables began to be heard last week, and they seem well founded. It is alleged that several of these voluntary preservers of the peace have been requested to .leave the cars. The Mayor or Wellington, who has heard similar complaints, says tha particulars are too vague to enable the tramway authorities to pursue any inquiry successfully. The City Council would not tolerate such discrimination. It would not permit the traimvay employees to interfere with the proper functions of a public enterprise which was for the use of the whole public. Instructions would 1 be-issued to the staff stating that support must be given to the Council in regard to the tramways. "IT'S mGOOD." AT AUCKLAND, WHAT THE UNIONISTS SAY. [From Our. Correspondent.] AUCKLAND V bor 3. It was stated by .Mr E. Canharn at a mass meeting this afternoon that a number of butchers and bakers had waited on the Strike Committee With reference to getting goods on to the steamers. "It is no use small traders coming to us," declared the speaker. "While-we have control of the position, we are not going to allow anything • but mails, passengers' luggage and live animals to go on or come off the wharves.. They should go to the big employers who are holding up the position and get them to act. ' THREAT TO PROPRIETORS. A .threat was issued by an official of the Waterside Workers' Union at the mass meeting. It was recently reported, said the official, that certain hotelkeepers and boardinghouse proprietors were going to put up special constables and others to be brought along to break the strike. " Let me say right here/' he said, "that if such a thing is done the people iii charge of the'hotels and boardinghouses concerned can't hold us responsible for any decrease in their business in the near future." The statement was received with an outburst of good-hum-oured laughter. BOYCOTT. By special resolution the Strike Committee has urgently enjoined the members of the Union to boycott all hotels and restaurants where accommodation is provided for special police or free labourers. At a. mass meeting yesterday the strikers affirmed a resolution—'" That if the fanners take sides against the workers in the present strike they will cease to be customers of the Farmers' Co-operativo Milk Supply Association, and will appeal to all other workers to adopt the same course." MR CANHAM'S WAY. A CHALLENGE TO COMBAT. tho course of an address at a, mass meeting of x strikers held at the foot of Queen Street this morning, Mr E. Canham, of the Executive r2 tha

United Federation of Labour, made the novel suggestion that the strike of the Auckland watersiders should be settled by single combat. "There has been a lot of talk about the use of the baton and other weapons to break the back of the worker," said Mr CanHaih. 1 "Well, that's one way of doing ik. I have heard it said, also, that the feeling of the public is against us. We know who the representatives of that nebulous body known as the general public are, and I am going to give those advocates of the baton an opportunity to settle this strike by single combat." '

ivlr Canham wentb on to say that he was prepared to meet man to man in a fight.with batons at Victoria Park either the Mayor (Mr C. J. Parr), the chairman of the Harbour Board (Mr J. H. Gunson), or the chairman . of the Chamber of Commerce (Mr S. J. Nathan), with an undertaking that the. Auckland strikers should resume work if Mr Canham was, worsted in the duel. The announcement was received' with cries of " Hear, hear," and applause, ; and some laughter. The speaker, concluded; with a reference to his experiences when a bluejacket in the Navy, saying that his lessons in the use of singlesticks would prove useful if either" of the gentlemen-mentioned accepted his challenge. CHURCH SOCIALIST LEAGUE. ADDRESS TO BE GIVEN AT LYTTELTON. The Church Socialist League has been taking a deep interest nr the present industrial trouble. This morning, at nine o'clock, the Revs J. Mortimer and H. C. Money will deliver addresses on the wharf at Lyttelton under the auspices of the League. - ' .. LAST'NIGHT'S MEETING. •' A meeting of, the League was held ■ last night, and was opened with tho League s litany. The following policy was adopted (1) The right to strike is a natural right, which no law can take away. (2) The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Bill ,at present before the House is subversive of the commonest' principles of British justice and Christian morality, since it appears to aim at the - re-establishment of a slave State. (3) The action of the employers in rejecting the' conciliatory proposals of the waterside workers, as 'reported in tho evening papers, is a declaration of class war for which the employers alone can now be held responsible. ; The members of . the League also i mado themselves responsible for the i support of twelve children of the strikers during the strike. , .. AT DUNEDIN. . "STRIKE- EFFECTS. FOOD SUPPLIES RUSHED. FIRMS DISPENSING WITH HANDS. . [From. Our Correspondent.] « DFNEDIN, November 3. The effect of the industrial crisis is being reflected on commodities,'as was inevitable. .The rush of grocery .orders on Friday and Saturday easily exceeded the best Christmas trade in the quantity of stuff sent out, by the leading grocery firms of Dunedin. The timid housewife ordered the, plain ;necessaries of life as she has never ordered them before. In many cases : she doubled and , trebled her usual order, and on Saturday the shops were packed all day till closing-time, and -the de-livery-vans were out till after eleven o'clock in some instances: The rush came so suddenly that , many of ■ the firms found it difficult to with it.'; .Outside Christmas and New, Year time the grocers and their, assistants never had to work harder than,they did on Saturday. All lines of ' groceries, outside sugar, remain at' their usual prices. The local fruit. importers are out of imported , fruits, such as oranges and bananas, and they will have no more apples left 111 a few days. ■ The present supplies in the shops canhot last much'longer. Next'week they expect to have strawberries coming foiv ward 'from Alexandra. Vegetables, too, are not now so plentiful, and the wholesale price is said to have risen fully 50 per cent. Everyone must now be feeling the pinch. ' ' Inquiries tend to'show that' there-is no likelihood of the wool market being affected unless the strike is to be very prolonged. Local merchants'interested are'merely marking time, so to speak. The North Island, sales are earlier than in the South Island, in fact there are some this month, but the catalogues are only small. The first sale in Dunedin is set down for' December 15. It seems to be generally regarded that there will be no serious position created meanwhile. Flour supplies are* good. Inquiry in. the city to-day made, it appear that there is little danger of the main staple giving out. The grocers and bakers are said to be well supplied with flour and the mills are sending out every day. The fact that exportation is practically stopped also improves the position foi Dunedin. The Kaitangata mine proprietors have made it plain that it is the coal merchants who are responsible for the rise of 5s per ton. The mine-owners have not altered the tariff. FREE LABOUR. Plenty of free labour is offering if (or when) the Union Steam Ship Company decide to use it. It is said that at least 300 men would, bo available, largely recruited from the country, where the farmers cannot get, rid of their stuff, since the dairy factories are full of butter and cheese that they are unable to ship. It is announced that on arrival ai Port Chalmers to-morrow morning from the Bluff the Moeraki's crew will l e paid off and her run to Sydney cancelled. Other ships laid up in Dunedir or at the port through the strike art tho Maitai, Mokoia, Ivamo, Victoria, Taviuni, Corinna and Kotare. ANOTHER FIRM CLOSES DOWN. Another addition, and it is a big one to the ranks of the unemployed is from Messrs Reid and Gray's. This firm has been compelled to shut down until Wednesday, thus throwing over 140 men out of work. Unless a settlement is effected by the middle of the week the number of hands out of work locally will assume alarming proportions. Three Harbour Board employees went to Port Chalmers to-day to work on Dredge 404. _ Tho strikers objected to these men doing the work usually done by casual labour, and, the men were .• sent back to Dmiedia,, ' - 4