AT PORT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10927, 17 November 1913, Page 1

AT PORT.

THE FERRY SERVICE. MAORI DEPARTS. Having made satisfactory arrangements with a number of officers and engineers of the various out-of-work vessels of tho Red Funnel fleet, the Union, Company on Saturday evening j'was able to recommission the Maori in the ferry service after a spell extending over ten days. As far as a complement was concerned, the vessel was well equipped both as regards the the deck hands and in tho stokehold. There were plenty of volunteers available, including several well-known masters and a number of apprentices from the company's workshops at Wellington and Port Chalmers. During the day the permanent hands of the company replenished the Maori's bunkers, and well before 'the advertised time of sailing the vessel was fully equipped for her voyage. As the week's carnival had concluded in Christchurch, it was generally expected that there would be a rush for berths, but the booking did not come up to expectations, as tlie ; tally only amounted to 380 passengers. In anticipation that there might be some fun, a large crowd of people started out into the exceedingly .wintry weather and congregated oiv the" ferry wharf, hut everything passed off quietly; in fact, the staff of police were much, smaller than had Been...the., case of. the preceding nights, and : the services were not really.; availed of, as the crowd was as orderly as anyone could have.desired. j- .: That; many of the ' passengers appreciated the action of the certificated crew and volunteers in despatching the Maori-last night was shown just as the turbine steamer moved away from the wharf. Someone on the promenade deck called for three cheers for. the Maori, and the passengers heartily responded. On the after-deck stood a well-known showman, and his sympathies were evidently with the strikers, for with the assistance of his mates cheers were, given,, for. the strikers, and a number of the latter responded.. Just before the Maori passed the wharf the officers on the Pateena raised three cheers for their fellow-workers on the ferry' steamer. NO SUNDAY BOAT. Sunday in Lyttelton is generally regarded as a "quiet day, chiefly on account of the absence of the hum and rattle of the steam winches on board ship/but the non-arrival of a ferry steamer to many is monotonous. For the second consecutive Sunday no ferry steamer arrived in the port, and the omission was due to the decision of the Union Steam Ship Company to recommission the Mapourika in the Wellington-Picton-Nekon trade, and also the.fact of the Wahin© being laid up in AVellington. PATEENA TO SAIL FOR WELLINGTON TO-NIGHT. After the departure, of the Maori on i Saturday evening tho Pateena was removed from the eastern side of the ferry wharf to the west, and this morning she will have her bunkers replenished. On arrival of the_ 5.25 p.m. train to-day tho vessel will be .despatched for Wellington. It is expected that she will, have a large number of pa-ssengers. WAHINE EXPECTED TO RESUME THIS WEEK. It is reported that as the outcome of the success attending tile Union Company in manning the Mapourika, Pateena and Maori every effort will be made during the next few days to find a full complement for the new steamer Wahine, and the continuity of the passenger and mail service between the two islands will be again linked up. The Maori on Saturday evening had a large number of men over ' her complement, and it is understood that a number will transfer to the Wahine at Wellington. OPEN-AIR MEETING AT PORT, MEH ADVISED TO STAND SOLID. GOVERNMENT CONDEMNED FOR IMPRISONING STRIKE LEADERS. Yesterday afternoon' an open-air meeting was heid outside the Coronation Hall, Lyttelton, and was attended by a fair number. The chairman, Mr Torrence, said that now the employers had issued their ultimatum, it was the duty of the workers to staud firm. The employers had stated that they must have a Union under the Arbitration Act, but he could safely say the Lyttelton Union would not back down. Mr Ramsay said the fight had only just begun, and the Government by o-aoling the leaders of the Labour movement had thought it could end the strike, but it was mistaken, and it would be found that men of good ability, could still bo foxmd in tho ranks. The speaker criticised tho action of several employees in the soft, goods and grocery trades who had ottered their services as "free labourers." He reminded them of the fact that it was not many weeks back since they appealed to the Conciliation Court for better wages and conditions, and the employers fought them tooth and nail. He also referred to the farm labourers for offering their services on the wharves. _ The following motion, moved by -Mr

Hiram Hunter and seconded by Mr Lane, was carried, one m-ember of the audience • "That this meating of'citizens of Lyttelton and the general; public wishes to enter an emphatic protest against the action of the Government in imprisoning several members of the executive of the United Federation of Labour and other prominent advocates of the cause of Labour,' and considers such .action entirely unwarranted and unjustified, and calls upon the sitting member for Lyttelton, Mr G. Laurenson, M.P., to im- • press this .resolution upon the pre-, sent Government from the- flow of the House of representatives." .