SEAMEN WARNED.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 97, 26 April 1928, Page 7

SEAMEN WARNED.

Mr. Bruce On Sale Of Slate

Ships.

BOYCOTT THREAT,

SYDNEY, April 23.

In the House of Representatives at Canberra yesterday the Prime Minister, Mr. Bruce, announced that the contract with Lord Kylsant for the sale of the ships of the Commonwealth Line had been signed and a deposit had been paid. Tenders would now be invited for the leasing of Cockatoo Island dockyard. Mr. Bruce warned the seamen that if they attempt to boycott the Commonwealth Line vessels under theii new ownership the Government will use whatever powers it possesses, and if necessary will obtain additional powers, to deal with the

unions concerned. In addition to

Lord Kylsant's tender for the steamers on behalf oi the White Star Line there were two others. Runciman, London. Limited, tendered £1,250.000 and Sir James Conollv, on behalf of the Australian Commonwealth Shipping Company, 1928, tendered £1,575,000. The Kylsant interests have given an undertaking to maintain a service equivalent to that which the Commonwealth Line ran and also to maintain an efficient Australian organisation.

SATISFACTORY SALE.

(Received 11.30 a.m.) S\ DXEY, this dav

Mr. H. G. B. Larkin, chairman of the Commonwealth .Shipping Board, declared that the sale of the board's ships to the White Star Line was most satisfactory. particularly as the Ray steamers had reached the age when the cost of upkeep was rapidlv increasing. Lord Kv lsant s group had agreed to take over suitable officers and engineers and other ratings already emploved on these boats.

OWNERS' INTENTIONS. (Australian and N\Z. Press Association) LONDON, April 25. The manager of the White Star Line of Aberdeen, Mr. John MacMillan, who conducted the negotiations on behalf of Lord Kylsant, in an interview, said there was a most hopeful outlook for the new venture which ou~ht to be popular among shippers. It was proposed to run the Bay and Dale steamers in conjunction with the Shaw, Savill Company giving a fast fortnightly service to all ports via Suez.

The directors had considered the renaming of the steamers with the names of famous old Aberdeen liners like the Thermopylae, but had decided as the Commonwealth liners had the' goodwill of the trade, to retain their names. The new company will be called the Aberdeen and Commonwealth