NO SOLUTION YET.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 264, 7 November 1929, Page 7

NO SOLUTION YET.

LAWBEATH STILL IDLE. OWNERS' TWO COURSES. INDUSTRIES AFFECTED. ! » (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) DUNEDIN, this day. - . No satisfactory settlement of the trouble on the steamer Lawbeath, which has been lying idle at Port Chalmers since October 24, has been found. It is assumed that if such disturbances continue, the owners of the vessels bringing phosphates from Nauru will adopt one ■. of two courses. Eeither they will refuse to' send stops to those ports where trouble has been met, or they will raise the rates of freight to recoup losses already sustained. Whichever ot these courses is followed, the effect on the industries which depend on phosphates for their products will be serious is it is essential that manures should be secured at the I°™***°*%%™* It is nearly a month since trouble started on discharge of part of the phosphates cargo was completed at Lyttelton on October 10, and while the steamer was at that port, nineteen of the crew refused duty on the ground that their food was poor. When she was timed to sail for Port I Chalmers it was found impossible to get ;he necessary men. Fourteen of the recalcitrant crew returned to work, but a full complement was necessary, and the Lawbeath was held up until October 23, non-union labour eventually being employed to clear her. At'the customary call for waterside labour when the vessel reached Port Chalmers on October £4,' no men came forward. It was emphasised that Kempthorn e Prosser's factory was waiting for ■ phosphates, but-the men refused to work the ship, giving no reason, for their decision.- ...■>..,::..' .:......