MARITIME STRIKE.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 122, 23 May 1919, Page 5

MARITIME STRIKE.

TERRORISM ON WHARVES

CLEARED OF LOYALISTS. AN OFFER TO RESUME. (Received 10.45 a.m.) SYDNEY, this day. The assistant secretary of the Seamen's Union has resigned as a protest against the men striking without a ballot. The Acting-Premier of Queensland is in communication with .Mr. \\". A. Watt, asking for permission for the Queensland Government to charter a cargo vessel for the purpose of relieving the situation brought about by the strike. The Returned Soldiers' Wharf Labourers' I'nion bus decided not to participate in the strike, as they believe in the. settlement of disputes by arbitration. The Permanent Waterside Labourers' t'nion has decided to cable to Mr. tlavelock Wilson, asking him to use his utmost endeavours to prevent oversea shipping being stopped or curtailed, as it irealised that if it be stopped the cost of living will soar sky-high. The Melbourne seamen decided that donkeymen should return to work to enable wharf labourers to continue unloading a cargo of coal. A terrorist party of wharf labourers succeeded ill driving all loyalists from the wharves, and it also assaulted several in the streets. The strikers then informed the shipowners that as the wharves were free of loyalists they were now prepared to continue loading or unlnading if all the privileges lost as the re-ult of the 1!(1T strike wore restored. The owners decided to suspend all wojrk until after the compulsory conference, when if the strike be not. settled. work will be resumed by loyalists under police protection.

Already the sfFerts of the (shipping trouble arc bojrinninj; to be felt. The holdup of coastal shipping has greatly reduced supplies of fish, butter, eggs, and other food supplies, while thousands of tons of goods are in other States awaiting delivery. The Riverina is amongst steamers whose crews have withdrawn. (A. and N.Z. Cable.)