13

H.—ll

The early part of the strike was marked by scenes of disorder at the four principal ports, and at Wellington several conflicts took place between the strikers and the police, in the course of which two civilians were wounded by revolver-shots, and several of the special police by the throwing of missiles. 'Ihe coal-mining industry was almost entirely suspended throughout the Dominion during the strike period, the only mine of any importance which was not closed being that at Kaitangata, where the union was registered under the Act. At the other principal mines the Miners' Unions had some time previously cancelled legist rat ion and affiliated with the Federation of Labour; these miners struck in sympathy with the waterside workers. A coal famine was threatened, and in Auckland the tramway service was for a time suspended owing to shortage of coal, but the famine was averted by the importation of large shipments of foreign coal. When the struggle was given up in December the Miners' Unions decided to return to work, but the mine-owners insisted on their registration under the Act before reopening the mines. In consequence the coal-mining industry was not in full swing until about the middle of January. The total number of miners who took part in the strike was approximately three thousand. The effect of the coal-miners' strikes was particularly felt on the west coast of the South Island, where trade generally was almost entirely stopped for some weeks, and where there was at one time a scarcity of food-supplies owing to the suspension of steamer services. A feature in connection with the strike was the part taken by the waterside workers and seamen in New South Wales, who at one period of the strike decided to boycott all New-Zealand-owncd ships. A number of unions that did not actually join in the strike assisted the strikers b} r contributing to their funds. The strikers also received considerable financial assistance from unions in Australia. The following statement shows particulars in regard to each body of workers that struck: —

Trade. Number of „ ,,,, ., Strikers. Duration of Strike. 150 3 weeks. . 150 3 „ .. 800 3 ., .. Approximate Loss in Wages to Workers. £ 900 1,575 3,750 Auckland brewers and aerated-water employers Auckland bricklayers Auckland carpenters Auckland coal-miners Tluntly .. .. . . Hikurangi, &<•. Auckland drivers Auckland furniture-workers Auckland hotel employees Auckland labourers Auckland painters Auckland seamen Auckland timber-workers Auckland waterside workers New Plymouth waterside workers Wellington builders' labourers .. Wellington drivers ., . . Wellington seamen .. * Wellington shipwrights, Wellington waterside workers Picton waterside workers Nelson seamen Nelson waterside workers Nelson coal-miners (Puponga and North Cape) Stockton coal-miners Denniston coal-mine is Granity coal-miners Seddonville coal-miners Westport waterside workers Paparoa coal-miners Brunner coal-miners Blackball coal-miners Runanga coal-miners Greymouth waterside workers Ohristchurch drivers Lyttelton waterside workers Oamaru waterside workers Dunedin waterside workers Nightcaps coal-miners . 474 12 „ .. 210 8 „ .. 500 3 „ .. 280 2 ,, 2 days . . 850 3 ., 2 „ .. i 1,000 3 „ 2 ., 200 2 „ .. 400 6 „ .. 376 11 days .. 1,000 6 weeks.. .. I 76 7 ,, 4 days . 310 2 „ .. .. 500 2 .... 1,000 6 .... 30 11 „ .. 1,500 9 „ .. 50 2 „ .. 40 6 „ .. .. 50 8 „ .. 94 9 „ .. 185 9 „ .. 540 9 „ .. 588 9 „ .. 80 11 „ .. 76 7 „ 1 days .. 73 11 „ 2 „ .. 83 9 „ .. 354 13 „ 3 days .. 347 11 „ 4 „ .. 200 6 „ 5 „ .. 60 4 „ .. 450 9 „ .. 75 6 „ .. 500 7 , 80 8 „ 2 days .. 13,731 19.600 5,500 3,750 1,680 2.000 7.250 900 4.000 2.707 15.000 152 1,600 2,500 12,000 1.200 33,000 65 300 800 3.002 6,350 15,300 16,500 4,000 2.000 2,750 2,000 15,000 15,000 2,750 576 20,250 280 7,875 2,740 236,602 Totals ..