SEAMEN'S DISPUTE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 74, 7 January 1928, Page 5

SEAMEN'S DISPUTE.

A SERIOUS DEVELOPMENT. (Per Press Association—Copyright.) SYDNEY, January 6. A serious development has arisen in connection with the seamen's dispute. Fight seamen in_ the inter-State liner Ormiston, which arrived from Melbourne to-day, gave notice, and efforts to obtain men to fill their places j. roving abortive, the owners have given the remainder of the crew notice and have indefinitely postponed the sailing of the vessel. It is anticipated that the steamer Canberra, which is several firemen short, will be similarly affected. A meeting of the Seamen's Union decided to resist the attempt of the owners to deprive the men of time off to attend stop-work meetings. The dispute may now develop into a fight to a finish between the mem and the owners.

CONTENTIONS OF THE OWNERS. UNION OFFICIALS' TACTICS. (Received This Dav, 10.40 a.m.) • MELBOURNE, This Day. The Commonwealth Steamship Owners' Federation: in a statement regarding the seamen's dispute, says the difficulty which has been created in connection with the stop-work meeting is only part of a whole system of militant tactics Which are being employed by certain officials of the Seamen's Union and other maritime unions, with a reckless disregard of consequences. The question is not merely one of seamen being absent without leave for a few hours, but i 3 one of certain officials of the union pursuing their destructive tactics and ordering the rank and file to defy the masters of steamers and the ovners, ami to break engagements and articles they signed, without any regard of Ihe disastrous consequences to the men themselves, the public, and the industry. It is quite obvious that such fiction is subversive of all discipline and that no industry can be maintained while such conduct is tolerated The shipowners are making, and hope to make, strong efforts to put a stop to this job control. They feel that they can confidently look to" the public and the Press to support them strongly in the stand they are making, not only in the interests of the industry but also of the community which it serves. It is to be i egret ted that on each occasion their action has been unsuccessful, owing to outside interference from sources to which they might reasonably have looked for the strongest support in any effort to uphold law and order.