SEAMEN IN AUSTRALIA.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 244, 15 October 1925, Page 7

SEAMEN IN AUSTRALIA.

W IS THE STRIKE OVER? ■THE OTIRA SAILS. A LOYAL CREW. Cable. —rres3 Association.—Copyright.) (Received '2 p.m.i SYDNEY', this day. .jlje crew of tlie Otira, which has iled for London, included a number of jtrikers. Melbourne striking scaiimi paraded the city streets with the object of furnishing .i denial of the cabin from the Marine Workers' I'liimi stating that the *trike was declared of! at all ports, but the general opinion in union circles is that the compulsory conference will arrive' nt a settlement on the basis of the South African terms. The Peraodoeua has arrived, and has commenced to discharge her cargo. It i-anticipated that, the crew will remain j oyal ._(A. and N.Z. Cable.) aEPRESENTATIVE CONFERENCE THE PREMIER PRESIDES. (Received 2 p.m.) BRISBANE, this day. A ('(inference between representatives of oversea shipping, representatives of the Association of Coal Workers, the Seamen's Unions, Britisli seamen, the Chamber of Commerce, and butter manufacturers, with the Premier presiding, was held <-n discuss the question of supplying coal for refrigerators on overseas vessels with perishable cargoes. The Premier suggested that the £1 which was the cause of the strike should be paid into a trust fund or account, and held by the Government or an independent third party until the strike is settled, when an adjustment could be made in accordance with the terms of settlement and the money paid over accordingly. The Shipping "Representatives' Association refused these terms, and stated that if the position continued it would he necessary to appeal to primary producers and others to assist in saving the*. - own produce. The association asked if the necessary protection will be afforded. The Premier stated that apparently an effort is now being made to use the primary producers and bring them into awiarrel between the shipowners and the leamen. It was unfortunate that the shipowners deemed it necessary to call the primary producers into the dispute without nn apparent thought of the consequences.After having sat for 27 days the Deportation Board abruptly closed its proceedings to-day, so far as Tom Walsh's case is concerned. Mr. A. R. Watt, K.C., counsel for ; Walsh, said that after yesterday's adjournment he and his fellow counsel had gone carefully into the whole matter of the board's proceedings. He then submitted a statement protesting against tiie board, and against "the inhuman proposal to tear from his family and end to perpetual exile the father of even children." All these children, he said, were natives of the Commonwealth. Four of them were still infants. All this was to be done "at the behest of a huge combine with which the business interests of at least one member of the Federal Ministry are closely associated." Mr. Watt said he could not close Walsh's case, nor do justice to it, unless hie statement included the evidence which the board had refused to receive. Asked if he intended to proceed Mr. Watt said his statement spoke for itself. Mr. S. E. Lamb, K.C., counsel for the Crown, said the board had submitted too long to the vain repetition of evidence. Hg asked the board to let Mr. Watt take any course he liked, and to grant no further adjournment. The chairman announced that the board had no alternative but to close the Walsh inquiry. The case against .Tacob Johnson was adjourned for a week.—(A. and N.Z.) ALL OVER IN AFRICA. A KNOCK FOR AUSTRALIA. (Received 1 p.m.) CAPETOWN, October 14. The strike officially ended at midnight. The ships at Durban are being rapidlydispatched. The newspapers comment on the action °' the South African Government in cancelling orders for West Australian timber owing to interference with the government-owned ship Apolda. They oeclare this is proof that the policy of otttte ownership is no guarantee against Labour disputes.—(A. and N.Z. Cable.) THE POSITION AT HOME. SCRATCH CREWS' LOYALTY. LONDON - .. October 14. The Secretary of the British Sailors a nd Firemen's Union, Mr. Cathery, announces that the striking seamen have a taint chance of securing work in Engn( l. Jlany of the shipping companies are retaining the scratch crews as a Kward for their loyalty. The "Daily Mail," "in a leading article under the caption of "A Lesson in Hand- % the Reds," says: "The plotters behind the French gen- ™ strike and the British shipping "ike have received severe blows. Every- % Te * he >' have, lM?on handled firmly. It is gratifying to learn that" the Wtish Cabinet' is now considering the ""option of one of Mr. S. M. Bruce's measures. There are plenty of small, wVi! lOt ""P 10850,1 *- British islands to which persons who are convicted of "fences against the laws relating to "ade conciliation and arbitration could c sent when their presence is dangerous in England. This question is urgent, because the existing deportation law for mischiev"s aliens is a dear! letter in the majorl 7 of cases, and because most of the °«Portees from Australia and South kT a - arG V ' M 7 to be dumped in Enga nd. No other country in the world will "frnit th m ."_("Sun.")