COMMONWEALTH SHIPPING LINE.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17401, 11 March 1922, Page 12

COMMONWEALTH SHIPPING LINE.

♦ SEAMEN'S UNION AND JOB CONTROL FEDERAL CABINET'S POLICY. (3y Cable—Press Association— Copyright.) (Australian fnd N.Z. Cable Association.) SYDNEY, March 10. The Federal Cabinet has decided, irrespective of the consequences, that it will not allow the Seamen's Union to take the control of shipping out of the hands of the management of the Commonwealth Line. It is understood that Cabinet has reconsidered the former offer by Lord Inchcapo to purchase the Commonwealth Line. The proposal will be further considered. The Merchant Service Guild has officially expressed disapproval of the action of the Seamen's Union respecting the Commonwealth steamers. It points out that if the service fails because chaos is brought about by the union, a combine will acquire the vessels and refuse to employ Australians under Australian conditions. Thus, the great principles on which the service was founded will be jeopardised. [Mr Hughes, Prime Minister of Australia, announced that, owing to Labour interference with the management of the Commonwealth steamer Largs Bay, it was impossible for the Government to continue its shipping policy, which would be reconsidered.]

DOG-IN-THE-MANGER POLICY. AUSTRALIAN UNION CRITICISED. LONDON. March 9. A high official ai the National Sailors' an<l- Firemen's Union, commenting on the _ cabled report of increased tension in the Commonwealth shipping* line's position, informs the Australian Press Association that the Union has been negotiating for some months with the Australian Seamen's Union relative to the manning of the Bay class of steamers. From the first, the Australian Union demanded the right to man the ships permanently from the moment of their arrival on the Australian coast, simply urging the British Union to insist < n the insertion of a repatriation clause 1 in outward crews' articles in order that they would not be stranded on tflie Australian unemployment market.

The official pointed out that the British. Union had had the most amicable -reciprocal arrangement with the Australian Union for many years, Australian seamen automatically becoming memberd of the British Union on arrival in England,.and British seamen b&ing similarly transferred when they reached Australia. It was only since extremists had taken over the control of the Australia# Union that complete and harmonious reciprocity had been lessen- ' ed. The Australian seamen apparently based their claim to permanently nufn the Commonwealth's new steamers on ; £Uo' serious unemployment among Australian seamen v hut the latter was incomparable with ' the position in England, where 60,(X)0 seamen were'unemployed tWougH ships being'laid up. It • should be remembered that the British. Union, over a long period, including ■goodaiulbad times, lad never made similar demands with regard to • manning of any foreign ships arriving •in Britain. On the contrary, the union had always heartily welcomed into its raiiks seamen from America, the Continent, and Australasia under, a worldwide reciprocal i arrangement. Moreover, it was the British Union which -. led. the way in improving the lot of eeamen throughout tlie world. Mr Havelock Wilson is now nttend*ving 9 conference at Paris. When he returns next week, he will confer with : the.- Commonwealth Line management regarding the whole position.