The Labor Dispute at Cape Foul wind.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 286, 13 April 1889, Page 4

The Labor Dispute at Cape Foul wind.

Os the return to Wellington of a batch of men who had gone to Westport, during the course of the labor dispute at Cape Foulwind, in connection with the harbor works, one of them was interviewed by a reporter on on the staff of the Wellington Press. his statement. About a fortnight ago I was in Auckland, out of employment. I heard that a Mr Wilson, who is associated with Mr Wilkie, the contractor of the work at Cape Foulwind, was in town engaging men to proceed to Westport and was to meet applicants at the Waverly Hotel, Auckland, on a certain date, I think last Thursday week. I at first did not think of going, but afterwards hearing that the job was a good one, and that good wages were offered, I went to the Waverly Hotel to make application to be taken on. A large number of other men had been there and applied before me, and when I saw Mr Wilson he informed me that these men had put down their name* to go. I asked him if there was any show for me, and he replied that he thought he had quite enough men already engaged, but he did not know whether they would all turn out to be suitable men or not. If however, they were unfit for work when they reached Westport they knew the consequences, viz., that they would not be kept on. I said “ all' right,” and went away. I afterwards met some of the men who had given their names to Mr Wilson, and they advised me to be at the boat, the s.s. Herald, when she was leaving Auckland, as some of those who had engaged would not be turning up, and I might still have a show. 1 heard Mr Wil son’s foreman, who had char ge of the batch of men,

CALLING THE BOLL, and there were some men short. I told the foreman I was there prepared to go with the rest and had my swag with me, when he told me I could go on. Mr Wilson provided our passage for us. He said nothing in my hearing about a strike or any difficulty with the men at Westport, nor did I hear or know of such myself at the time I went on board the steamer. On the voyage down I heard it stated that one of the men, who was of the party, had asked Mr Wilson if there was any strike at the works, cud that Mr Wilson had answered that there was not. On the morning of the day we landed at Westport, the foreman came round asking the men whether any of them had not signed. He produced a paper, which I signed. I don't know what it was about, as I did not read it. When we

ABBIVED AT WESTPOET, there were about a hundred people on the wharf, and from the appearance of things we concluded that there was something wrong. As soon as the steamer got alongside, some of the men who had been standing on the wharf came aboard the Herald, and went from one to another of our party talking with them. One man came to me and said he should like, if I had any friends on board that I could advise, if I would persuade them to keep away from the works, as there was a “ lock out,” and he was afraid if wc went to work there would be a disturbance. He said Mr Wilkie was only bringing down strangers to turn away from the works men who had their wives and families there, and that they would be starved out of the place. The Westport men USED NO THREAT towards us, but merely tried to persuade us not to commence work. When I got off the ship I was again asked not to go to the works, and I replied that as the rest of the men were going on the train I should proceed to my journey’s end, when, if I found there was anything wrong such as was described to me, 1 would guarantee not to commence work. The men standing by said “ Hear, Hear ; you will find that out when you get down there.” When we reached the station near the works there was a large crowd of men on the platform, who ordered us to COME OFF THE TRUCKS. and not to proceed any further. A good deal of arguing and talking then took place on both sides. The Union men had sticks with them, but I did not see them offer to strike anyone with these, and no collision took place. Ultimately the foreman who had accompanied us told us we had better get off the trucks, and we did so. I believe he did this on the advice of a police constable who was present. We were invited by the men to attend a meeting which they then held in a building near by. We attended this meeting and they told us how they had been treated' by the contractors end how they (the contractors) had parleyed with the workmen and put off from time to time a settlement of the grievances, until they had secured the non-union men in Auckland. The contractors were not represented at the meeting. When we heard the position of affairs we decided not to •tart to work, and we did not start There was no disturbance whatever, and no breach of the peace committed that I saw or heard of, from the time we landed at Westport until I came away. The Union men

PAID OUR PASSAGE to Wellington. I intend to join the Union myself now, and am sorry I did not do so long ago. There are at present on the works a few non-union men, who were I believe brought down from Auckland some time before the Kwith which I went down, and so s I know they have not been interfered with or molested by the others.