STATEMENT BY SECRETARY OF MARINE.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17617, 21 November 1922, Page 9

STATEMENT BY SECRETARY OF MARINE.

(press association telegram.) WELLINGTON, November 20. A Pressman approached tho Secretary of Marine to obtain details as to the position. That official said: —"I have as yet received no official information as to the new departure hi connexion with the shipping trouble—the offer of the men to go back to work and the refusal of the shipowners to take them back unless they will continue ::t work and keep to the award. VVe always keep a register open, however, for men who want employment. If these men are genuine in their desire to go back to work, no doubt they will come and register their names, but up to the present no great number of them have done so. Only a few individual men have registered."' THE CASE OF THE SCHOONER HOUTO. FIVE MEN SENT TO GAOL. (sr-ECIAL TO "THE PRESS.") AUCKLAND, November 20. In the Police Court, Michael Murphy and John Kelly were charged with intimidation and obscene language towards the crew of the schooner Houto. Mr "\Vil6on, S.M., said that the accused would have to get a lesson. They were each sentenced to fourteen days' imprisonment on the first charge. Oi the obscene language charge a conviction was recorded only. For assaulting the master of the Houto, Laweon, Newbert, and Green were each sentenced to two months' imprisonment, with hard labour.

•GUARANTEES WANTED.

(press association telegram.) NAPIER, November 20

A number of seamen who had left Richardson and Co.'s vessels, approached the masters of ships this morning and offered to resume, upon which they were- referred to the managing director, in answer to whom the men stated they were not prepared to give a guarantee to work properly and observe the terms of the award. The seamen also stated - that the Union could not give a guarantee as it was not concerned, the men acting individually. The unionists were informed that under the cirmumstances their offer to resume could not be entertained. The watersidefe continue the tactics adopted last week,' and as a result the Durham took in her frozen meat cargo with the aid of non-union labour. Several smaller vessels worked similarly. UNION LEADEKS' POLICY OF SILENCE. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TBUEGBAM.). "WELLINGTON, November 20. Following the new development in the situation, there was a meting of seamen in the Masonic Hall this afternoon, but whether any decision was axrived at or not the secretary of the Union (Mr W. T. Young) refused to disclose. Mr Young said he had nothing to say just then. His reply to an invitation "to discuss Mr Bishoo's statement was: "There i& nothing to say about it whatever.',';. The cooks and stewards held a meeting, but Mr Kennedy, the Union secretary, preserved the same attitude or silence as Mr Yo.ung had done.

SITUATION IN AUSTRALIA.

KAURI HELD "UP. JBy Cable—Press Association—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received November 20th, 9.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, November 20. The Union Company's collier Kauri, after getting ready to «atf, was held up at Newcastle owing to four firemen deserting.. Two were arrested and sentenced to seven days' imprisonment, and ordered to bo placed dn board the steamer on a charge of absenting themselves without leave. < The other two are missing. . ' • The news that the New Zealand seamen were returning to work was not unexpected. Reports were current at the Trades Hall on Saturday that-such a move was probable early this week. The Seamen's Union, had declared its intention of restricting the trouble to that section of the Union Company's vessels trading between Australia and New Zealand, and was prepared to man the company's vessels to New Zealand if the imprisoned crews were released unconditionally.

PALOONA AND HAURAKL , • ~~ (Received November 20th, 9.45 p.m.) MELBOURNE, November 20. - ThePaloona sailed at noon to-day for New Zealand. The Houraki is expected to get away to-night or to-morrow, most of her crew having agreed to rejoin the ship on the same terms as the Paloona's men. ■ •

MAKURA MAY NOT SAIL. KOEOMIKC'S CEEW AEEESTED. .1 (Received November 21st, 1.20 a.m.) SYDNEY, November 20. Unless tlie position changes in tha meantime, it is doubtful if the Makura win get away on her scheduled date, Thursday. It is understood he? crew nave intimated that they will not sign on until the Moeraki's and the Waikawa's crews hare been released. It is believed their intention is to maintain this position whether the strike collapses in New Zealand or not. . When the Koromiko's three arrested men were placed on board they declined to 1 work. The remainder of the crew supported them, whereupon the whole crew was arrested on a charge of refusing duty. This, following the imprisonment of two of the Kauri's cfew, has further aggravated the position at Newcastle.