SHIPPING TROUBLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 116, 17 May 1924, Page 7

SHIPPING TROUBLE.

ALLEGED CONSPIRACY. ACTION AGAINST UNIONS. SYDNEY, May 10. The hearing has commenced of charges of alleged conspiracy against union ofticials in connection with the Port Lyttelton deadlock. » Captain Hollis, marine superintendent of the Commonwealth and Dominion Line, stated in evidence that he had received a message from the captain of the Port Lyttelton at Launceston stating that the crew had refused to take the vessel to sea unless they received a bonus of £-20, as it was claimed the ship was tinscaworthy. Witness later attended a meeting of dock, officials and members of the transport group at Cockatoo Island, and related the owners' side of the dispute in connection with the Port Lyttelton nnd Port Curtis. At the meeting, Mr. HefTron, speaking for the transport group, said he would not touch the ships untij tbe men of the Port Curtis were released and warrants against the men of the Port Lyttelton withdrawn. Cross-examined, Captain Hollis said that after the Port Lyttelton went aground at Launceston in Janunrv, they put to sea in a vessel making 100 tons of water hourly, but he claimed that the vessel was seaworthy. At the meeting at Cockatoo Tsland witness asked Fa Ik ingham. tho Seamen's Union rcprescnta tivc, whether the men agreed to take the Port Lyttelton lo ,gca for a bonus of l%&. Fnlkinphnm replied by askinc whether witness had not known cases oi men taking "coffin, ships" to sea for t considerable increase in pay. The manager of the Cockatoo Dock (Mr.Pavnc) stated that on February 2l he saw the two union officials. McDonalc and Shearer. They told him that the Port Lyttelton had been declarer: "black," nnd that no work would Ik done. They said they spoke as delegates from their respective unions in tin transport group.— (A. and N.Z. Cable.)