THE SHIPPING TROUBLE.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17610, 13 November 1922, Page 6

THE SHIPPING TROUBLE.

POSITION AT LYTTELTON.

ten steamers laid up. As a result of the seamen's strike, of a total of fourteen vessel* m the oort of Lvttelton now, only three the Middlesex, the Storm, and the Progress, are not held up. The Storm and the Progress are on Duncdn, articles, and most of the orew belong to Dunecfjn. Ten steamers are now held y.p at Lvttelton. They are the Karon, Kakapo, Kaikorai, Wingatm,Wnhme Katoa. Cygnet, Wanaka, Opua, and Conopus. The Opilu, which is out of commission, was laid up before tfao trouble started; Apart from the si'enoe on the large number of vessels at the wharves there is little to indicate that a serious Strike is in progress. Absolute order prevails, vnd the seamen .are, if anything, quieter than usual. The crew of the.Wnhine were paid off on Saturday. The crews of the Karori and Kaikorai had been paid off previously, and tl:e remainder of the Union Company's crews will be paid off this morning. Tho Oanopus, Cjr gnet, and Opua. will a-so pay off. Wakatu Takes Malls and Passengers. On Saturday night the little steamer Wakatu. IST tons, took the place of the Waliine as the mail steamer to Wellington. She took to Wellington 29 passengers, about 50 tons of mails, and 57 tons of much-needed flour. The Wakatu is licensed to oaiTy 19 passengers, but slip has aooommodation for more. A special permit waa issued by the Marine Department, Wellington, on Saturday for ten additional passengers to be carried. There was considerable competition for the coveted berths, and they were quickly booked up. Some would-be passengers went down to Lyttelton on the chance of getting a- berth, and one or- two were succsesful in being allotted berths not taken up by passengers who had cancelled their passages. The Turf was well represented, several owrters and jockeys being anxious to get back to the North Is.and. Three ladies also made the trip, and a stewardess was carried. The passenger list was as follows i—Mesdames Moiney, Young, Washer, Mr A.E. Whyte, sec* retary of the Wellington Racing Club, Mr MfKehzie (owner of Kilgour), Mr Milne (manager of the Wellington Meat Export Company). Mr B. L. Joll (owner of Danger® Zone), Messrs McDonald(jockey), McSweeney (joclcoy), Mainey, Steel Moore, McLean, Washer, Morris, Handley, Hampton, Sutton, Adams, Mahon, Ralston, Watts, Tumbull, Sullivan, Shehun, Donaldson, Md3rumm, MeGaffney, and Lieut. Pigotc (H.M.S. Chatham). Quite a crowd gathered on the wharf at ten o'clock to see the Wakatu Bail. Masters and officers of the mercantile marine were very prominent, and there was much good-natured chaffy coupled with facetious advice to the master of the little' vessel, as she pulled out. The Wakatu had a, good run tip the coast, with the southerly gale behind her, reaching Wellington; at 6.40 p.m. yesterday—-ft very smart performance. The crew of the Wakatu gave 24 hours' notice on Saturday morning, conditional on the vessel remaining at Lyttelton. When it waa decided that the Wakatu would sail on Saturday night, the men Withdrew their notice, hot wishing to be paid off at Wellington. The Wakatu is on Lyttelton articles and it is therefore expected that* the men will give notice at Wellington. So far the Canterbury Company's thr.ee steamers Calm, Breeze and Storm are not affected by the dispute. The Storm is to load at Lyttelton to-day for Wellington and Wanganui. The Bree«o sailed on Saturday for Dunedin, where she will dock for overhaul. The Commonwealth and Dominion steamer Port Denison left Lyttelton yesterday morning far Mew Plymouth, taking mails for that port and Wanga* nui. Chatham and Veronica to Take Malls. H.M.S. Veronica, which has been at sea for the past few dkye, received instructions by wireless to proceed to Lyttelton, where she arrived early yesterday morning. It is probable that she will take the hortmvard mail to Wellington to-night, unless a coastal vessel becomes available in the meantime, in which case tlie Veronica will take up later m the week. H.M.S. Chatham will take the mails to Wellington to-morrow and will also convey His Excellency Lord Jellicoe. The Chatham is not making a special trip, but is merely adhering to her original timetable. ! The Government steamer Tutanekai left Bluff last Monday for tl»e West Coast lighthouses and she should arrive at Wellington about the middle of this week, unless she is recalled by wireless earlier. She may be used to run the mails between Wellington and Lyttelton and sho may carry a limited number of passengers. The Kamona was expected at Lyttelton last night from West port. She will go alongside the Chatham and will coal the warship to-day. The Kamo, and not the Kakapo, loaded s?® Lyttelton for the Chathams. ? a P° ' s held up at Lyttelton, ft wli- 011 k° ar d 1200 tons of coal for the Wellington gasworks. The Men's Grievances, A "Press" representative on Saturday endeavoured to ascertain the feeling of the men on the matter. While most of the men refuse to discuss the position, others state freely that it is not so much the reduction in wages as the alteration in the conditions of work that m the cause of the strike, the "donbey!2o«,. S ÜBe be'ng given as an instance. The men allege that when, in port, the donkeyman reports for duty a -™v he can be told that his eight hour shift will not start until, 8 ° r P' m *» * n he can be worked any eight hours out of the twenty-four at the will of the owners Vmaum mostly il i tW , :t *: a * tbe reduction that +•! a! g"evance, and that the '' , nin tlie conditions was being wv.tf an ,. e *® u ®® to fight the award. + u„i a , °f * e m6n condemn part or the whole of the award, some of them r®. n ? B f ret of the. fact that they ° the strike, but are St LtSr m?*2 n of the mo™ milimore +hn« Ij 0 ? conveyed to + l than one shipping master when the crew* gave notio£.

COASTAL SHIPS IDLE IN 18® MEN LEAVE THEIR WORt IRRITATION TACTICS

WEMSUND MAIIS, >

SERVICE AU'llViXffiß OP POSTiT The Chief Postmaster itdomaM resentative of "The Press" that he i some kind would ,be emergency that was likely to ari** Yesterday, the mail broujht L Wellington *o Picton by tk V • which was en route to w-w brought on mail, conveyed by MoteS' vice, Blenheim, left Picton£ and reached Christchuroh at a very smart perfonwno* was not expected to arrive tffl JSLSi hours later. About half« was carried by the car. No newspapers were taken.' S| It was understood yeatwdar tU & boat would leave Wellington lu® for Lyttelton, and then, of varieties \of mail matttt wsfi'ifir carried. . The car which brought the aiil MjS Picton yesterday will leave Christc®? a«ain this morning, tl» mail doa#,S 10 a.m. Another car will be fantt. Ed to-morrow, the mail down* same time. , * As previously stated, tkautWifr are optimistic in regard to the proi* j of maintaining mail scrrices betwi the two islands. ■ • Statement by Sir Heatm Shod* In a statement'-to a n» sentetive last liight, the Hon& Woaton Rhodes, Minister of PtfeM. said:— ... . . .• "H.M.S. Chatham trtlli art W wj to. carry mails regularly, Wwa being that such a courie vould bite expensive. , ThA Chatham Mhnate Wellington m accardanci with its m gramme to-morrow, sod it wifl tim a mail on that.oofaslftn. TV 18 due in Wellington f or the.iniiul course of musketry at TwathW.' 'Arrangements have been boats to carry the mailt/- and arrangements, are comply, wbiect (4 the Prime Minister's parcel will not be tatan ovvrUnd tO' Futfla. but will be shippfd at ihort faterrak > not daily, from Lyttelton." , f a state mnsmi < ME MASSEY '• -V" > (FB£Sa}^6oCUnoN : ;SwMfQWKV "I ixr having jukt' biuik td.Welihigbiwi day," stated the Prime approached regarding tifr strike. "I oan only ho{k*;ty ft wiP not last long. We Bid< arrangements for ths ttiik And will endeavour to lenience to the publio it smelt can." f " \ » "They are saying thsi'. tlf tow* , ment should own and dootrp! ib* .wrj telton ferry steamers, 1 wO W» pN*;, is a far bigger thine replied Mr Massey. ficult question and it if 80 jw o» cussing it now. l ' , POSITION IN WELUHffIOU,' SHJBNOB Ot S£AMSK'S WWW omOIAIA ' (pbess issocunoif WELLINGTON, Nor«nb»r The-decision of the seanfi# » JJ, Work as a protest g' of the Arbitration Court r«r 5 justed wages in accordanceJJ, movement in the flo»t into operation this no f <l i coastal etiipping is l4Js, ® ; Lyttelton ferry ateamen. The officials of men's Union had no «tsteffl«M » for publication to-asj. , j a forffl» r , The opinion aMr tion contained ployment for one rreek Uce agam u it will mean that tl^n^jg. sorted to what » lance as #« is a form of IDd JS cated by tiomsts as being injure employmg this BtonfaSj} In shipping cin^,-7i n was stated that procM» *3 of a'recurrent arm br ttr' there >»W t trouble ' B rt nl ft wnti»«« fi Si£ workers, but if « it will autooatic^r^jt^je^ bers of men » J deprived of will this be $ with many c««« who have «lnn mow? &f ping hwd-op. • •

effect on 0 ntrmvtp'* *8 «**J in d<*#M

£*s» tbat Slincton, and there is Ss* *!££.» that pr t illrt® " U fl ,d indic-itions lie" 1 vul * f, t* <«»* r a3 in wine oti*r u»j m , w t!)e effect on int* * V«rt , r»b« , f''nditions „ill soon fci** ~ r* d for it is adis*n'{ might brinu industrial crisis to face *»«* ' ireparcd to re-um< c.n t!i<> j2W ,,e fhv to >rk . sli, p s & ? rc4l Tin"''f fK,d S "PP : . :CS . : V-H w -!!ff effect. f° r 11151 "',' : ill : jS B^ fiatement from only one >f S,blc for manning on the hea& of leading <v»ifP to commit >njar that this and other will be discussed fe'USine of the Federation of £ to the wtual position, one leaden saifthat every o" the N f w Zcn n "*JSd be id'e, the only exception belonging to the smaller hich have conceded the deofficials decline Mr W.T Young Iffittst there was nothing to s.,y. prepared to reply to statc\frJthe employers' case made by \?A giihop, secretary of the Em%Jj federation. He a.so decl'ned prV whether irritation strike be adopted. Onwi Signing Off. - »nd Ngahere had several "ajojFyesterday. The remainder JsL vessels to-morrow. I Han of the Wainui, Echo. * Wiursu, Kapiti and Hawera, S off her# to-morrow. . of the Ngaio will sign off hoa twuorrow. Inrarcargill, from Wanganui, ffawrley from Patea, are due mpLtna to-morrow or on Tuesuunrtfr Against the Men. , almost certain if the shipi4» not prooeed against the men ketch the-Arbitration Court's the labour Department is {Utedo». COMPANY'S SERVICE SUSPENDED. UUSOff PBOCESS NOT Ifi(> SB TOLERATED. frw n "fin wiss.") November 11. |iSl in connexion with local beet exemplified by fCySfittts ia tiiia evening's Union Company s instance, makes It is as follows: early; Picton and early; Sydney {fraiKtiw}, steamer, early; 6ydMelbourne direct, MWiiMfNew Plymouth, steamKomata, early, wfnHHMS; Dunedin, Oamaru, mn, ifesner. early; , Auckland, iwfj euhr, Gisbcrae atad Auckearly; Wwl'ri*' at* Pljiatrath and OneW» J***® 1 ?! from 'New Plymouth, R®l; Samoa (Apia), B? ffi*vu*BaSpai Nukualofa) from IllßStfosee tßftitrawberrieH and Kfr rignfag ffMe there was a to rot fine, and the fruxS* g^^^CTffl^eed^of^inone^, union, offlaSls. ° Union, soger through no £3 ■BBSfeW ? h J 'ch to a cers«id, a matter lor. te m6n< BK to the eubthe absolute doof conimMn°thai eS/^Tli for it

decisions of the legal tribunals were to l>e lhut wus un issue in. ivhica the Government was direcJy concerned. and it «as its duty to seo that the awards of the Arbitration Court, which bound employer and employee alike, were not flouted. As a consequence of the recent award the seajr.ui suffered no more nor less than any other -■ic.-tion of the workers whose wages were ait'eeied by the decisions of the Court. Their wages had simply been adjusted in accordance with the cost of living ligures, and in this respect they liad been placed upon exactly the same level as all other wage earners. If the present tactics of the seamen were alloweu to sticwd, it v.'ouid mean that a vital blow «oi;id be struck at the very roots ;n' the Arbitration system. Food Supplies. If the trouble with the seamen lasts, Wellington may be in an awkward position for supplies of flour and other produce from the South Island, but it can carry on for some days with the arrival oi cargoes on the way. The trouble about sugar from Auckland has been overcome by bringing it down by rail. This costs a little mor«, which the consumer may be called upon to pay. The extra cost, however, is flight, a fraction over id per lb. Old potatoes from the South are being rapidly replaced by new potatoes from Auckland, and districts nearer Wellington. The same applies to onions from Blenheim. The Manawatu and Wairarapa can meet the demand for chaff for the time being. Oats from various localities in the North Tsland can also be obtained for tlie "Wellington market. The prices of the supplies usually drawn from the South Island will naturally be affected by the increased cost of obtaining produce from the by rail. This will probably be passed on. Care will have to be exercised, too, in the delivery of supplies. esnr>"!ally flour. The trouble had come before distributors and the body controlling the distribution of flour had got into thorough working; order. There has already been an increased demand for flour. The best is being done by merchante to meet the emergency and keep their customers going with supplies. At present there are supplies sufficient for a week or more. The Mall Problem Arrangements have been made by the Postal Department to meet the mail difficulty created by the stoppage of the ferry service between the North and South Islands. There will be no boat for Lyttelton to-night, but all letters for tne South Island posted by 6 o'clock (or with late fee by 6.30 p.m.) will be sent forward via Picton, the passage across the Strait being made by the Ngaio, which leaves this evening for Nelson! The proposal to use the Tutanekai between the North and South Islands during the trouble cannot be put into effect immediately, as the vessel is at present making a trip around the lighthouses in the south. FRUIT-GROWERS SERIOUSLY INJURED. POODSTTOPS POSITION IN WBmNOTON. (rSKSS ASSOCIATION TELXOBAV.) WELLINGTON, November 12. The position regarding the transit of fruit from Nelson and other fruit centres of the South Island to Wellington is eeriaus. Fair, supplies of strawberries and gooseberries, and ft few plums only began to Arrive last waek. Growers are faced with heavy losses if they fail to ilpita; tQM&et... iJifelaoa- growers are requiring sugar for jam-making, and ore trying to obtain a motor-boat to send fruit to: Wellington. Motor boat owners are* willing albo to convey moils be* tween the Islands and suitable freight each way. The manager of St&pfos Brewery says that while brewing he can supply all the: material required for yeast for bre&dmaking in the Wellington province. Mr R. M. Virtue, of D. W. Virtue, flour merchants, says they have about six weeks' supply., Some bakers' are fairly stocked. The mills in Palmerston North, Carterton, Wanganui, working under pressure, : can increase the supply. A large firm of r€«taunmteura has plenty of flour and sugar for two days, and Has telegraphed to Auckland for five tons. Another, importing firm wired for one hundred tons to be!sent by rail, and it iB expected on Tuesday, The rail freight is 97s 6d per ton as against 35a 6d by, steamer. The Wellington &ttd,Petofte Gas 06mpanies have amnle'coal. The Eastbourne ferry - service round the bays is not affected. HOW AUCKLAND IS SITUATED. EFFECT ON SUPPLIES NOT SBBIOUB. (nlxss ASSOCIATION TKUSGHAM.) AUCKLAND, November 12. There are ample stocks of flour in Auoldand. Millers state that onlj usual ordew will be filled: Regarding general supplies for, coastal districta, soows are now doing excellent work, and provided no grave situation develops no serious difficulty is anticipated. Local potatoes are coming in, obviating aupplTes from the south, while with an abundance of green feed, the lack of ohaff will hardly be noticed. A few lines manufactured in the south will be short next week. The supplies of dried fruite for Christmas will 'be ample. The most serious effect concerns employment,.' of watersiders, especially. This week work will be provided only by thp three vessels in port, the Tainui discharging general, cargo, the Fiona unloading sugar,. aud the Glaucus loading general cargo.' The Kaituna with coal from the West CoOst, and the Waihemo with general ' cargo! from fcJan Francisco, are the only arrivals during the week. One large carrying firm has given notice to its carters as a precautionary measure. ■< There is already in sight a shortage of steam haß three months' supplv. The crew of two auxiliary vessels in '•tlie coastal; trade have. given notice, and others are expected to follow. This will be serious for the coastal dairy companies, as their output has been exceptionally large, and their cool storage is limited.

IN THE SOUTH. DEVELOPMENTS IN DUKEDIN. (special to "the pbbss."> DUNEDIN, November 11, Developments in connexion with the shipping dispute were advanced a further 6tage when the Corinna reached Port this morning from Wellington and Timaru. The whole of the vessel's crew sailors, firemen and trimmers—notified the master of their intention to leavo the shin on the way down the coast, and the necessary twenty-four hours' notice having expired, they were signed off the articles this morning, ihe Corinna is therefore now only manned by the officers, engineers and stewards. AY hen her cargo has bwn discharged sne will probably oe removed to Port Chalmers. Many of the Corinna s men belong to Dunedin. r lwo seamen and two liremen em°Jpyed in the T\ aiiiouaiti were signed off the articles to-day. The vessel is now six men short of her complement, one fireman and a trimmer having signed off during the %veek. As the men "?.l 1 . no *' .be replaced the Waikouaiti is still lying idle at the Birch street wharf. The position regarding; the Kaitoke's crew remains unchangsd. The vessel should be clear of her Newcastle coal cargo by Monday. A large number of passengers from intended to cross to Wellingi ci a kut as the Wahine's crew ert the ship at Lyttelton to-day, these people did not travel north bv the express. The local office of the Union Company has not cancelled any passage tickets already issued, but has ceased to booß passage by the ferry boats in the meantime. It is said to be a common thing in the ferry service for deck hands and 0 E t°kehold to earn as much as i,SO a month owing to the large proportion of overtime. The men in the coastal boats nowadays have good times by comparison with uhe times when for ii j a . mon they had to work cargo all day and steer all night. As to sugar stocks in the South, thoy are limited, but so far as Dunedin is concerned the merchants are holding reasonable supplies for all ordinary purposes, and a$ they will resist any rush jam-making or other special purposes there is every hope that an acute shortage will be averted. One reliable informant stated em- •+ v? y to A " Star " reporter to-day tnat it was ridiculous to expect seafaring men to work in harmony with their employers when there were two different awards in operation for Australian and 5 „ Z€a . lan d seamen. It was pointed out, for instance, that seamen and firemen were employed on the Union Company s steamers engaged in the inter- j colonial trade who were working under Australian articles, or, in other words, under the Australian award, and trouble was only to be expected when these men were receiving over £1 a month more than the men working on the same ship under the New Zealand award. A man could leaive a ship at Sydney, for instance, and when another was signed on in his place, he received the Australian rate of pay. There never would be any harmony or peaoe between the men and the snipping companies until an award was made under which all New Zealand and Australian seamen and stokehold hands worked for the same tate of pay. MANUFACTURERS AFFECTED. {PEESS ASSOCIATION TELEOBAM.) DUNEDIN, November 12. ' The shipping trouble is spreading here. Tho whole of the crew of the Cbrinna left th.e vessel yesterday. The Kamo, from Oamaru, arrived at 11.20 p.mv yesterday. It was necessary to renew the artiok#! at Dunedin, as the vessel was going with mails and cargo to the Chathams, but the crew signed off and it is not-probable that the vessel will leave to-morrow as was previously intended. j No trouble has been experienced with the Holmdaje, which arrived at Dunedin this morning from Wellington. Ihe vessel is to leave on Tuesday night for Wanganui, via Ports. The Kaitoke, Waikouaiti, Corinna and Kamo are now tied up at 'Dunedin. Owing to the strike Donaghy's rope works were obliged to take a quantity of rope for the Corinna back to the works. The output at the works will probably be considerably reduced if the shipping trouble continues and if a lengthy struggle ensues the -works may close down for a short period. Several departments in one or two large Confectionery manufacturing works have, closed down; The position will be relieved on the arrival by train at Dunedin to-night or to-morrow of 200 tons of sugar j ex Katoa, at Lyttelton. ) The New Zealand Express Compnnv here has given its employees a week's notice. Tie other local carrying concerns are not yet affected. KOMATA'S CREW PAIS OPF. (ftSBSB ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) . November 11. The articles of the crew of the Komata, a combined passenger boat and collier, expired at midnight, and as insufficient of the crew was available to take the vessel back to Wellington, the Union Company have paid off all hands. MAILS FOR NORTH ISLAND. PROGRESS LEAGUE'S ACTIVITIES. A mail for the North Island, which closed at the customary hour, was despatched otf Saturday night by the steamer Wakatu. ... lu view of the possible dislocation of the mail services between the South Island and the Nortk Island, and with the view. Of helping to solve the difficulty of mail transport between the two islands, Mr P. R. Climie, organiser foi the Canterbury Progress League, got in touch with tlie proprietors of the Kaikoura and servioes otT Saturday, and they agreed to run rt i fMAf/ip service to Picton. Mr Climie also got in touch with the Postal Spart£t S and Canterbury (N.Z.) » " rwnanv, Ltd., and he comthe nroorietors of a launoh service, S'fSlk. of communication icroa Cook Strait. However, the Department, later, announced K it had sbl . e to frange to cari-r on the mail servioes Lyttelton and Wellington. The, Progress therefore, dropped the matter , »r.' t : T< ,« being, although a special Picton for possencen» will be carried out by the motor concerned, upon their own ac- ! * nn, 1 Pi-oeresß League was Bo ely conoeniea ttiwi non-paitisan organinot wa Vt Siy wtion having a bearing on the

CARNIVAL WEEK VISITORS. PROBLEM OF RETURN' TO NORTH ISLAND. When the Christchureh office of the Union Steam! Ship Company learned on Friday afternoon that there would be no ferry steamer on Saturday night, steps were immediately taken to the hotels and tlie principal boardinghouses in order that North Island visitors would bo able to avail themselves of the opportunity of returning to their homes by Friday night's ferry steamei. Close upon 600 visitors took advantage of this opportunity and left by the 3l;tori, which was not overcrowded, ana which could have carried all the Nortn Is.and visitors. The company a-sccr-tiiined on Saturday that there were about 2CO Xorth Island visitors who had not availed themselves of the opportunity which was offered them on Jjrida} night to return to the North Island and wlio were still in the city. If the holdup lasts for a lengthy period these visitors will be faced witli a knotty problem. It was suggested that they would bo able to get to Wellington by travelling overland to Picton and thence by motor-Hunch across Cook Strait; but on Saturday Mr P. R. C imie organiser for the Canterbury Progress League, received a telegram from on<- of the launch proprietors at Picton, stating that launches would not be allowed to cross Cook Strait. No reason wa'i given for this state of affairs, and no indication was given as to the manner in which they -would be prevented plying between Picton and Wellington. Mr Climie informed a reporter that it would be possible to transport a few passengers by aeroplane, but owing to the absence of a suitable landing p ace at Wellington only the two small pianos belonging to the Canterbury (N.Z.j Aviation Company would be available. Those machines are only capable of taking one passenger at a time; or two if they are not heavyweights. It is obvious, however, that this means of transport will not be of great assistance in dealing with the. comparatively large number of North Island visitors still in the city. SUGAR SUPPLIES. I SHORTAGE FEARED. A leading firm of eugar distributors has issued the following circular letter to retail stores:— "In view of the shipping hold-up it is almost certain that there will be a sugar shortage as the Colonial Sugar Company cannot indicate when fchey will be able to make shipment. We would suggest that you strictly ration your supplies as merchants' stocks are praoExhibition and the Christmas jam season approaching you would be well advised to maintain good stocks of sugar as soon as the boats resume running." In a supplementary letter the firm 6 ays "Wo hate mad© arrangements to get a limited quantity of Bugar down by rail from Auckland, We expect the extra cost to be in the vicinity of £6 to £7 per ton, and it is, of course, understood that all extra charges will be charged to purchasers. As the quantity available is limited we make thiß offer, subject to pro rata delivery." j POSSIBLE EFFECT OF STRIKE ON PRICES. The ChristbKurch branch of the Board' of Trade has received telegraphic information from the Head Office, at Wellington, stating that the Minister's (the Hon. E. P. Lee) instructions are that the, Department shall see that no undue increases are made.to consumers in prices of necessary commodities. Any upward movements in prices are to be reported by telegram immediately so that steps may be taken to investigate the redone for any increases, which should not exceed any extra expenditure other than that actually incurred as a direct result of the strike. POSITION IN GISBORNE. (SVBOUIi TO "*HB PBfiSS.' 1 ) GISBORNE, November 11. The position with regard to the shipping hold-up grows more interesting. Gisborne is indeed fortunate in the manner in which vessels have visited here lately. As opportunity offered niails have been despatched overland and by 3teamer. This morning the Baden Powell left for Napier. The Kini is due here early next week with produce, so supplies of flour willthus fas augumented. The Tiroa, reached Gisborne yesterday afternoon from Auckland, via Tokotnaru Bay. She also brought a mail. A suggestion had been made that the j Federal Line Steamer Durham, which is expected to leave here on Monday night for Napier, might be able to take passengers. This was referred to the local agent (Mr Beauchamp) to-day, who stated that the Durham could ( not take passengers to Napier from Gisborne. Owing to the shipping trouble, Auckland merchants cannot obtain maize from the Bay of Plenty This has resulted in the creation of a demnntl for maize for Auckland from Gisborne. There has, however, been no change in values, it is stated, although freights have been increased to a more payable level for owners of ships. Only bulk shipments are being made. Quantities are being forwarded to Auckland by the Tiroa, the schooner Elsie May, and the ketch Huanui. j CONCERN IN NELSON. j (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) NELSON, November 11. There is considerable concern locally regarding the shortage of flour. Bakers have only a few days' supply, and a shipment on the Kanika has been held up. The position has become most serious. Towards the end of next week sugar will also be in short supply and j strawberry growers and also many small producers will be seriously affected. Those who are dependent, or are largely dependent, on the crops, will be most disastrously affected. CREWS TO BE PAID OPT AT NAPIER. (PBSSS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) _ NAPIER, November 11. The crews of the coastal steamers Fanny, Te Aroha, Ruru and Koatt gave notice to-day, and will be paid off on Monday. The action taken is not popular with the seamen, who are apparently acting j according to instructions. I WAOTOI'S CREW GIVE NOTICE. (press association telegram.) BLENHEIM, November 11. The crew of the Wainui at noon to■ay gave twenty-four hours' notice to : (Continued at foot of next cotmnn.)

cease work. The Wainui left Picton. tor Wellington at midday.

TROUBLE IN AUSTRALIA.

MOEEAKI'S SAILING CANCELLED. 'sy Cablet—Pies# Assooifctiofl-^Jopytight.) (Australian and N.Z. CibU Association.) (Received November 12th, 5.6 p.m.) . SYDNEY, November 11. The sailing of the Moeraki has been canoelled. Tlie pa6Bengere pnd their luggage and the perishable cargo were transferred from the ship in Neutral Bay in ferries to the shore. The mails are still on board the steamer, in the expectation that the dispute will soon be settled; otherwise they will be transferred to the Ulimaroa, which is expected to sail for New Zealand next Saturday. As the crew of the latter ship ,are on Australian articles, no trouble is anticipated. WAfcKAWA'S CREW ARRESTED. SYDNEY, November 11. Thirty-one members of the crew of the Wailtawa have been arrested l and charged with refusing duty. They will appsar at the Court on Monday. ACTION AGAINST ORIENT LINER. FREMANTLE, November 11. The Orient liner Ormonde has not entered the harbour in consequence of the crews of the tugs refusing to handle the vessel, as a protest against her carrying inter-State passengers without paying Australian rates to the crew.