IN THE PORT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10926, 15 November 1913, Page 7

IN THE PORT.

FIRST UARGO STEAMER . ARRIVES. PEACE STILL REIGNS. At Lyttolton this morning peace and tranquility reigned on the waterfront. The watersiders held a meeeting, and the Strike Committee subsequently drafted its reply to the employers' ultimatum. Tho Patoena arrived from Wellington at 7.25 a.m. with about one hundred and fifty passengers, and tho Maori came in from the stream about seven o'clock and berthed at tho west side of No. 2 wharf, preparatory to departing for Wellington to-night. The Pateona will remain in Lyttelton until Monday, and tho Maori will carry the largo contingent of northern-bound passengers which can be expected at the end of Carnival Week. The Maori started coaling from one of the Union Company's hulks as soon as she was berthed. At 10 a.m. tho Northern arrived from j Wellington with about 1000 tons of cargo, and anchored in tho stream. It I is expected that she will be brought to

tho wharf to dischargo cargo early in the ensuing week. The Defender arrived from Hokitika during tho morning and was berthed at the Gladstone Pier. Tho Maori will be manned by officers and engineers who havo been paid off from tho company's ships in Lyttelton, and by members of tho company's permanent staff brought from Wellington. No hitch is anticipated in connection with her departure to-night. THE EMPLOYERS' ULTIMATUM LYTTELTON UNION REPLIES. EMPLOYERS REFERRED TO WELLINGTON EXECUTIVE. " UNDISGUISED CONTEMPT " FOR ARBITRATION ACT. The reply of tho Lyttelton Watcrsido Workers' Union to the ultimatum forwarded to them by the "committee to open the port of Lyttelton" was 6ent to Mr F. Cooper, secretary of the committee, this morning. The Union's communication, which amounts to a flat refusal to accept tho proposal that it should register under the Arbitration Act, runs as follows: Mr F. Cooper, Secretary. Dear Sir, — Yours of the 14th and contents noted, re asking this Union to register under the Arbitration Act. In answer, we refer you to our executive in Wellington, ■ who have our unbounded confidence to settle present dispute. We wish you to understand that we are not out simply for loyalty to our fellow-workers in Wellington, but to show our undisguised contempt for tho Arbitration Act. We think it would do your committee no harm to carefully read the sub-leader in this morning's "Lyttelton Times." Faithfully yours, F. Lurch, ohairman. For the Strike Committee. THE TALLY-CLERKS. AN APPEAL FOR ASSISTANCE. There are about twenty-five tallyclerks in Lyttelton. They belong to no organisation, and their employment in intermittent and not very remunerative at the best of times. Owing to the strike, they have been deprived of employment altogether, and the married men with families are feeling the pinch rather severely just at present. A deputation from the tallyclerks waited upon a " Star" representative this morning and explained the position. It was suggested that the predicament of the tally-clerks and their families should be brought under tho notice of the public, and that any relief which might be forthcoming should be forwarded to the Lyttelton office of this journal. The case of these men is an especially hard one, as they are in no way parties to the present industrial dispute and are involved in misfortune by circumstances quite beyond, their control. "WITH THE HONOURS OF WAR." HOISTING THE DANGER SIGNAL. A LYTTELTON INCIDENT. Shortly after the ferry train had departed from the wharf at Lyttelton this morning an amusing incident happened on board the Pateena; which to an observer showed that the certificated crew, at any rate, were apparently not antagonistic to the "RedFeds." and, at the same time, bore ni malice against their fellow-workers on strike. ~ The whole of the baggage and mails had been discharged from tho ship's hold and amongst the "cargo" down below were three bundles of the "Maoriland Worker," the Red Feds, paper, so someone proclaimed. The sling went down below to haul up its freight and in a moment or two- up it came with a big red flag attached to the wire rope, and the newspapers safely hooked below. There was an uproar of laughter from the ship's company and the railway employees when the " freight" was hoisted above the deck and then into the truok. "Three cheers for 'Maoriland Workers' on board a 'scab' ship," cried one of the men, and immediately the request was heartily responded to by those who witnessed the inci- " dent. A suggestion that tho flag, should bo fixed to the truck was not' ' acoeded to, as had it been lost it would • have been one flag less on the signal code box. ARRIVAL OF THE DEFENDER. A BELATED TRIP. Since she entered the coastal service the Httle steamer has had many a protracted voyage, and her arrival in Lyttelton this morning was of interest, inasmuch that her journey from Hokitika had occupied nearly ten days. From the outset the little vessel ran into trouble and when she. put into Westport last week owing to bad weather she found that owing to the strike it was impossible to obtain coal supplies for her bunkers. Later the weather cleared, and with only two days' :coal supply on hand it was hoped to breach Wellington. In Cook Strait the weather was bad, but the Defender bore up patiently, and eventually gained access to Nydia Bay. Here she borrowed some coal from a sister ship and then set sail again for Lyttelton. Just as she passed Cape Campbell ehe ran into a southerly and was compelled to seek shelter. Eventually she got under way again and reached port today. PETONE ARRIVES. The Canterbury Steam Ship Company's Petone arrived from Napier this afternoon with a consignment of cattle. She was signalled alongside the cattle wharf. It is understood! permission has been given to land tho cattle.