LABOUR TROUBLES IN NEW ZE.aLAND 71? from a speech made by a prominent Unionist at a meeting held in Christchurch at this time. He said: 'There is a wrong impression abroad .that the railway men will be called 6ut on the question of the boycott. This will not be done. The men will simply refuse to touch Whircombe and Tombs' goods. If the Commissioners suspend any man for re- fusing to touch them, they will be asked to reinstate him. If they refuse, they will be offered arbitration. If they refuse arbi- tration, the men will go out.' A further attempt was made to alter the decision of the Rail- way Commissioners by the following telegram from the secretary of the Railway Servants' Society: L, If railway men suspended, must call all hands out, and Port Lyttelton will be practically blocked till suspended men are reinstated. Can you instruct Whircombe and Tombs railway department not responsible through civil commotion.' This telegram met with almost uni- versal disapproval. When it was plain that the Railway Com- missioners were not going to move from the position they had taken up, the Maritime.Council threatened to boycott the port of Lyttelton, and as it quickly became evident that this could not be done without involving the whole colony, the threat became one of a general strike throughout the colony. For some days there was intense public excitement, and strong pressure was brought to bear on Whircombe and Tombs to induce them to accept arbitration, by other employers who were thoroughly scared. On August 7th Messrs. Whircombe and Tombs received an ultimatum from the secretary of the Maritime Council in the following terms: ' The Council instruct me to offer arbitration for the second time on the same terms as formerly; should you decline, all re- sponsibility of future trouble rests with you, as the Council are prepared to uphold the rights of labour at all hazards.' Arbitration was finally refused by the Company on August 12th, and for the next four days it was considered almost certain that. a general strike would follow; but on August 16th the Maritime Council published their decision to the effect that no strike would take place, but that the Council would deallwith the Company on simple but effective lines; that until they fell in with the general practice of their trade, this Company would be compelled to stand out in miserable relief as the only firm in the colony who refused to recognize the rights of labour and true principles of Unionism. This sudden change of tone was caused by the Maritime Council
