THE STRIKE IN BRIEF.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10924, 13 November 1913, Page 7

THE STRIKE IN BRIEF.

HOW THE TKGUBLE AROSE. PROGRESS DAY BY DAY. The following is a history in brief of tho trouble, showing its progress clay by day, . October 17—Shipwright s Union in Wellington, which is affiliated with the Federation of Labour, asks for an increase in wages. October 18—Members of Wellington Shipwrights' Union and Waterside Worker? Union stop work. October 20—Waterside Workers Union decides to call "stop work mooting for 8 a.m. on October 22. October 21 —Mr R. Fletcher, chairman Wellington Harbour Board, complains that shipwrights in stopping work at 8 p.m. on October 18 committed a breach of clause 24 of tho agreement between the Waterside Workers Union and tho employers. October 22—Waterside workers, instead of starting work at 8 a.m., hold a "stop work meeting. Overseas steamers kept waiting at w'harves. Waterside workers place position unreservedly in hands of Federation of Labour. Men decide to resume at 10 a.m. that day. When they go to the vessob they have been working they find other men have taken their places. Union men taken on, but not necessarily the same men as were working •at the vessels the previous day. Meeting, attended by 1400 or 1500 men, decides that no work shall be accepted until all tho men who stopped _ work aro reinstated. Employers maintain that workers, in breaking continuity of day's work, committed a breach of clause 24 of agreement. October 23—Pickets posted on all Wellington wharves. Union officers advise men to strike. Men at patent slip leave their work. Free labour employed on Rimutaka. Police keep wharf clear. Strikers and sympathisers make hostile demonstration. Strike committee set ujx Efforts made to form new Waterside Workers' Union under Arbitration Act.

October 24—Eight hundred strikers meet in Wellington. Crowd rushes wharf gates. Disorderly scenes. Free labourers on steamer. Free labourers pelted with stones. Conference held. Employers propose that , work should bo resumed on old conditions. _ Thoy promise there shall be_ no victimisation, but decline to recognise former agreement, as it had been broken by the men.

October 25—Further disorderly scenes. Men reject employers' proposals. Employers offer to enter into Agreement under Conciliation and Arbitration Act on; basis of wage then paid, if the men resume work and form iresh organisation. . . October 26—Men reject employers proposals. Barricade between King's Wharf and Glasgow Wharf torn down. Police-concentrate in Wellington from other places in North Island. _ Commissioner Cullen < calls for special constables. Mass meetings in Post Office Square and Basin Reserve. October 27—Labour Day. All quiet on wharves. No cargo worked. Liners lie idle in stream. Hon A. L. Herdman announces Government will maintain law and order. October 28—Whole waterfront from Clyde ..Quay to Pipitea breastwork , almost devoid of shipping. ii.M.S. Psyche puts in at wool wharf. Mass meeting addressed by Labour leaders. Shortage of produce a:nd food supplies. Free labour organised amongst farmers. Hon W. F. Massey presides at Conference between representatives of parties. Racehorses allowed to leave for Lyttelton." October 29—Employers announce that as men rejected proposals and concessions at previous day's conference, they will proceed without further parley to work vessels with free labour. Largo numbers of mounted special constables arrive in Wellington froni country districts. Work at standstill on Auckland wharves. Pickets stationed there. Waterside workers at Westport decide not to work Navua from Lyttelton. Mass meeting at Lyttelton.

October 30—Serious rioting in Wellington. Crowd charged by special constables. . In Auckland, police protect free labourers. Lyttelton waterside workers strike. Reinforcements of special constables arrive in Wellington. Foodstuffs short at Wellington. Anxiety in regard to coal supplies. Sir Joseph Ward complains in House that special constables galloped into crowd without provocation, and urges that steps be taken to have dispute settled quietly. October 31—More special constables arrive in Wellington. Shipping operations at Wellington completely stopped. City has appearance of armed camp. Food.and coal supplies become shorter. Prices rise. Otago waterside workers and miners in State coal mines go out.

November I—Permanent1 —Permanent force in Wellington parades with rifles, bayonets and- machine gun. Timaru waterside workers adverse to strike. BluiT workers decide to continue. November 2 —Conference between Prime Minister and deputation from Federation of Labour and other organisations. Strikers ask for another conference with employers' representatives. They say they will accept eld dominion agreement, to be extended over a,certain term, with penalty for stoppage of work. Meeting at Newtown Park protests against invasion of Wellington 'by armed men. Conflict between special constables and strikers. Crew of Wahine give notice to leave vessel next day. Maori's crew refuse to go out. Organisation of free labour and special constables in country districts of Wellington province pushed on with energy. Employers' Committee declines to withdraw previous proposals made to strikers. November 3 —The Prime Minister presides over another conference, attended by seven representatives of employers and seven representatives of the Federation of Labour. The conference sits for four hours. Mr Massty then announces that deliberations were not concluded, and that conference will meet again next day. Another melee in Wellington streets. Several shots fired from revolvers. Mapourika takes up running of Wahine and' leaves Wellington for Lyttelton. Captain D. J. Watson, secretary of Merchant Service Guild, announces that marine officers will not work with free labour.. Officers at Dunedin resent announcement, and say they will not come out in sympathy with Federation of Labour. Seamen in Wellington decide to strike if cargo or coal is worked in Wellington or any ether port by freo labour. Duncdin seamen suggest big conference of seamen at one of the centres to discuss relations of seamen to Federation of Labour. _ Meeting of representative clergymen in Wellington calls upon representative bodies of both sides' to consider position at another conference.

November 4—Conference between employers' representatives and Federation of Labour meets again. Lasts only a few minutes, Labour delegates having rcjeoted employers' proposal that any agreement must be made under Arbitration Act. Employers then dfeidn to try to work the port, and rsk for Government protection. They ivsuo ultimatum. Miners at BlaeVball and IJrunner decide to strike. Auckland tramwaymcn state that they will strike as soon as free labour i.v used in the northern city. Christchurch tramwaymen pass motion of sympathy with strikers. Federation ail Labour issues official statement of its

position for public information. It is announced that employers will revise to have another conference. Further disturbances in Buckle Street, Wellington. Mounted police clear streets, ; !"<t i fired, stones thrown at police. iUasa meeting of strikers at Newtown, Wellington. Call on Harbour Board to exclude free labour from wharves. November 5 Further street fightmg iii Wellington. Strike Committee there givo permission for racehorses to bo eiiippod to Lyttelton. A thousand .special constables rido through Weland are assailed with stonos. Constables repeatedly charge the crowd. Maori hold up at Lyttelton. November 6—Athenic at Wellington loaded by free labour under strong guard of mounted me. at Lyttelton make demonstration a'g>inst Air W. Belcher, secretary of the Sea)iien's Union. Now Waterside Workers' Union formed in Wellington and registered under Conciliation and Arbitration Act.

I\ ovember 7—Moana loaded by members of new Union at Wellington, but crew leaves vessel. New Union formed at Dunedin.

November B—Trouble spreads < in Auckland, where waterfront is seized by police. General strike declared there. Trade Unions' delegates in Wellington instruct members to " down tools" when asked to handle goods handled by'fres labour. Ferry service still dislocated.

November 9—Air Hickev. secretary Federation of Labour, announces ail unions in Cliristchurch, Dunedin and Wellington will be called out to join Auckland in general strike. November 10—Mr Hickey calls upon all unions to join general strike. New Zealand Farmers' Union announces farmers will not surrender, but will set 1 strike through at all costs. Conflict;, between police and strikers at Auckland. Wellington Drivers' Unici joins strikers Hotel employees in Wellington refuse to strike. Ferry service resumed, Pa teen a leaving Wellington for Lyttelton with passengers and mails. Lyttelton Strike Committee issues manifesto denouncing' men who desert Federation of Labour in order to como under provisions of Conciliation and Arbitration Act. Fourteen unions at Auckland on strike. Attempt made to ■ destroy winding gear at Dcnniston Incline, IVost Coast November ll—Chrisfcchureh StriL Committee telegraphs to Mr Hickej that it would be a calamity to deckuv a general striko in Ghristchareh unless special constables and " scab" labour is used. In meantime, committee make;; arrangement, to accommodate strikers at big local camp, and to billot women and children. Ike employers in Wellington once more decline proposals for a basis of settlement, declining to recognise Federation of Labour in the matter. Mr Robert Semple. Mr Bailey, Mr ' P. Eraser, and Mr H. Holland, prominent Labourites,- arrested in Wellington. Messrs Semple and Bailey were charged with sc-dition. The Wellington' seamen decided to endorse the previous decision to cease work on twenty-four hours' notice. Cargo-handling by free labour proceeds quietly at Wellington ' and Auckland. '

November 12. W. T. Young, president of the Federation of Labour, arid Thomas Barker, organiser of the Auckland branch of the 1.W.W., arrested on charges of seditious language. The six Labour leaders remanded for a week. Many Labour Unions protest against the arrest of the responsible officials.