HUMPHREY MANNED.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 172, 23 July 1929, Page 8

HUMPHREY MANNED.

THE TRAWLER STRIKE.

MORE FREE LABOUR

MEN MAY MEET TO-MORROW

The Sanford trawler Humphrey, which arrived yesterday with a full catch of fish, coaled this morning, and witn a nonunion crew went to sea again. She is the second of the company's fleet to be manned with free labour, the first being the Serfib, which is now out on the fishing grounds and will not return until Thursday. The Humphrey 's expected back next Monday. The only other boat out is the Thomas Currell, the West Coast trawler, which usually makes Onehunga her discharging port, but in view of the strike she is coming to Auckland instead, and will arrive to-morrow. With her crew ashore it will mean that all the dissatisfied men will be ashore, and it is expected they will hold a meeting to-morrow to decide what is to be the next move. It was reported on the waterfront this morning that the men of the Humphrey had been dismissed, and that notice to that effect had been taken out to the fishing grounds by the Serfib. This account, however, is denied by the company, who say there was no dismissal. In the case of the other trawlers the men were asked if they were going to sea, and when they said they were not. they were told that was the end of it. In the case of the Humphrey the men simply joined the other strikers, and were not dismissed.

The Humphrey coaled this morning-, and when she was ready for sea she waited off the end of the Queen's wharf. A launch with the free labour on board went oil' to her. and she immediately sailed for the gulf. This procedure not only saved time but avoided any chance of anvthing in the nature of a scene at the Western wharf, where the trawlers discharge and take in ice. The strike has now been on for five days. The main trouble between the men and the company is the duration of shore leave. At present the men net -4 hours a week, with :>ti hours every fourth week. Thev are now assking for 30hours every week. The company offer 24 hours and ">C> hour-; on alternate .weeks.