286 A HISTORY OF THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



ful settlement of the dispute now existing ". Seldom, indeed, has 

 the result of so costly an issue been wrapped up in tamer phraseology. 



The official report of the great maritime strike issued in 1891 

 by the Trades Hall Council places the case for the strikers in the 

 most favourable light possible. As might be expected it is laudatory 

 in the highest degree of the conduct and the aims of the men, speci- 

 ally commending the restraint they put upon themselves under the 

 indignity of the military preparations for maintaining order. It is 

 coarsely vituperative in its reference to the attitude of the employers, 

 although, upon its own showing, that attitude was really one of 

 passive defence throughout. And it is clamorously abusive of the 

 Government for its alleged partiality in employing the police to en- 

 able non-union labour to earn a peaceful living. In spite of reit- 

 erated declarations by Mr. Gillies, that the action of Government 

 would be confined to ensuring the observance of law and order, 

 violent debates arose in Parliament on the question. Mr. Trenwith 

 got in first with a vigorous attack on the Ministry, when the police 

 estimates were under consideration on the 2nd of September. On 

 the 16th of the same month Mr. Service moved the adjournment of 

 the Legislative Council in order to get an expression of opinion 

 from that body, that a conference ought to be held between the 

 employers' and the strikers' respective associations. He deprecated 

 any attempt at mediation, and sought only to bring the conflicting 

 bodies together. Nearly every member of the Council spoke on the 

 subject, but as opinions were about equally divided, the discussion 

 had no effect. In the Assembly during September repeated efforts 

 were made to concuss the Government into interference. This 

 was mainly urged in the interest of the strikers by Sir Bryan O'Logh- 

 len, Mr. Jas. Munro, Mr. John Woods and others, but the Premier 

 firmly declined to be drawn. The debates in Parliament evolved 

 some material available for the construction of a Conciliation and 

 Arbitration Bill, but they had no effect upon the strike, which died 

 from progressive decay of financial support, and the discovery by 

 the Marine Officers' Association that it was strong enough to flout 

 its nurse and to run alone. 



The financial injury inflicted by this revolt during its three 

 months' plunging career cannot be estimated. It dislocated trade 



