THE GREAT STRIKE.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 507, 16 September 1890, Page 2

THE GREAT STRIKE.

(DY ELEOTBIO TELEORAPH—SPECIAL TO STANDARD.] AUSTRALIA. There is no material change to report, and up to the present nothing definite has been done in the way of settling the difficulty.

AUCKLAND. Last night. Strike matters are quieter than ever. Whatever work requires to be done at the wharves is being done by nonunion labor, without molestation. Coal is now being carted from Hikurangi to Whangarei for the Northern Company, and the Clansman goes up tomorrow night- to bring down a load. The crew of the Richmond, the Island trader, steamer, came out this morning in accordance with notice given on Saturday. A new crew is being shipped. The mail boat Zealandia got away for Sydney after getting 350 tons of coal put aboard by nonunion labor, The Northern Company’s coastal steamer Wellington, from Russell and Whangarei, brought down a full crew of nonunionist seamen and firemen for the Company’s steamer Clansman, from the Bay of Islands. Messages irom Onehunga to-day stated that things are very quiet in the Manukau. The Union Company’s Orowaiti took her departure for Wellington this morning after being “strike bound” for the past fortnight. She sailed with a nonunion crew. The Gairloch (northern) is loading up with a general cargo for Waitara and New Plymouth, and is expected to get away this afternoon with a nonunion crew.

The Qlenelg is at present laid up awaiting orders. The carters hav* now resumed wqrk, all being back at their old billets, WELLINGTON. Last night. The boilermakers, at another meeting, almost unanimously resolved to adhere to the determination not to work for the Union Company. The crew of the Kennedy were called out to-day in the belief that she was gojng to supply coal to the Star of Victoria. The latter required 850 tons, which she expected to get from the Bayley, due from Newcastle to-night.

Gerrard is slightly better this morning and has partly recovered consciousness. Several additional special constables were sworn in on Saturday, and they, with Friday’s contingent, paraded inside the barricade on the wharf in order to protect the free laborers when they left work. There were vpry few of the public present when the men knocked ofif at 5 o'clock, and the proceedings were most orderly. Two hundred and ten more special constables were sworn in to-day.

At Palmerston North about 150 farmers attended a meeting to consider the advisibility of forming a Farmers’ Go-operative Association on the same lines as the one at Christchurch. An unsuccessful attempt was made to alter thp affair to a Farmers’ Union, but a resolution was almost unanimously carried in favor of a Co-operative Association. NAPIER.

. . Last night, Edmund Black, Secretary nt the Chamber of Commerce, has been appointed Secretary of the Employers’ and Workmen’s Association.;)

CHRISTCHURCH.

1 Last night. On Saturday afternoon a slight disturbance occurred in front of the Metro-politan-Hotel, between nonunionists and Union sympathisers. Itisdoubtlul how the row began, but it appears two parties went on bandying words, and one on each side got into a fight. The police came up and arrested three Union sympathisers named Murray, Quinn, and Daly. No one was hurt. A bit of a row took place here on Saturday among Unionists and others. A number of men, passengers on the Omapere, were mistaken for free laborers, and assaulted by Paget, a Timaru Unionist, and the sailors of the JjAlert. The Unionist and sailors were arrested. One passenger got rather severely handled and another Unionist delegate from Oamaru was roughly treated. Three business men of the town were also grossly insulted on the breakwater. Bail was refused for the four men arrested.

Liter. The R.M. gave 14 days, with hard labor, to a lumper who was half drunk, and assaulted a fireman and two passengers on the Omapere in the street on Saturday night. The three seamen of the Alert were let off, as they were not concerned in the actual assault. The R.M. said he took the view that it was a drunken freak rather than a Union demonstration, or he would have inflicted the fullest penaly. The police said the Unions had no sympathy with such proceedings. On Saturday evening the firemen of the Omapere went to the captain and talked of knocking off if blackleg seceders from the Union went to work aboaid, and the captain lauphed them out of it. INVERCARGILL. Last night. The Trades and Labor Union has voted £5O to the strike fund. DUNEDIN. Last night. Everything is quiet iu connection with strike matters, nothing unusual having occurred. Unionists and strikers held a demonstration yesterday. Close on fifteen hundred Unionists, headed by seamen, marched in procession. Mr Millar has slated that there is no intention to call out the railway servants at present. The Labor party would choose their own time for doing that. The Commissioners, he ssserted, had laid a trap for them with the view of causing a strike and diverting attention from the present struggle. He hoped next week to be able to lay before the public full details of what was intended by the Commis sinners, and be believed it would open people’s eyes.

DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE. Wellington, last night. In the House of Representatives to day Mr Percival moved an amendment on the motion to go into Committee of Supply, “That with the view of a settlement nf the dispute between the wage-payers and wage-earners of the colony, Government should at an early date invite employers of labor and Labor Association de'egates to attend a conference at Wellington, for the purpose of discussing the difficulty and arranging a settlement.” Mr Percival pointed out that the leaders of both parties were now scattered all over the colony, and if they were brought face to face and allowed to dLcusa their grievances some settlement of the difficulty would be arrived at. Employers, or a reasonable section of them, were not anxicus to oarry the matter too far. It was considered that some of the rules of the Unions required modification-for in stance, those where it was insisted that Unionists should not work in the same factory as nonunionists. This was said to be unworkable, and would paralyse trade. It was for the discussion of points like these he desired to see a conference brought about. Men throughout the co'ony were anxious for a settlement on fair terms. He believed that the leaders of the Unions would suggest to the strikers that, pending the result of the conference, they should go to work again. Mr Allen seconded the motion, believing that both sides would approve of the Conference. The Acting Premier said the Gnvernment were recognising the unfortunate position in which the labor of the colony was placed, end considered they would be acting wisely in accepting an amendment. (Cheers.) By doing eo th'y would only be carrying out what they had been endeavoring to do during tlie whole progress of this struggle, The Premier had had several interviews with representatives of labor in this city, and a T eo corresnnndenoe with employers, but unfortunately he had not been able to eee hie way to intervene in such a way os to bring the trouble to a happy end. Seeing that the desire of the House was that an attempt shnuld be made to bring the struggle to an end, Government would do all that lay in their power to induce people interested to meet in this city and bring about an amicable settlement. Mr Percival's amendment was eventually carried. IMPORTS. Per Manapouri—l pel, Mrs A. M. Brown 1 keg yeast, Oatridge and Veale, EXPORTS. Per Manapouri—l bnj, Fgram, 8 pkgs, Atkinson ; 1 case tea, Pitt and Maguire; 8 sacks rye grass seed, L. and M.A. Co.