SEAMEN'S UNION.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18016, 7 March 1924, Page 13

SEAMEN'S UNION.

APPLICATION FOR NEW AWARD. (FHCS3 ASSOCIATION KLEOB4M.) WELLINGTON, March (5. The hfaiing '"as continued in tlio Arbitration Court of the maritime dispute, when tho presentation of the shipowners' case v.-as proceeded with. The morning \va3 occupied in hcarinrc witnasaea called by Mr W', G. Smith (veprcsentius *"o Union Company). Evidenca v/as jriven by Itobert Gillies, local ouperinkndent-cngineor to the Union Company, and John Lrunlop, marine cnpiiiecr and expert in oil-burning ships, ivho said ono mun v;a3 capable of looking alter 15 fires. Captain Foster was calkd in connexion with tho employers' claim that Gisborno should bo removed from tho list of main ports at which it is necessary to pay overtime to men keeping watch and watch in bad ■weather. Tho captain said that tho anchorage at Giaborna was a precarious one, and the port waa not a safe one if « southerly blow came up. It was necessary to keep watch and watch, which meant that the crew had to be paid overtime, though at Tokomaru Bay, a few miles up th« coast, where conditions were no worse, overtime was not pa'd, ts it was classed as a dangerous open roadstead. It was desirable for ehip.i whi>n lying at anchgr in Gisbortio roadstead to keep up a £Ood head of steam, so as to be ready for getting out to sea quickly should it bo necessary.

Mr YoUitg: Have yon en-er known of a ship having been lost at Gisborne becauao watch and watch waa not kept? Mir Smith: The Star of Canada waa lost there because she had no steam up to take her out. That was established at tho enquiry.

His Honour: But tha,t woa because captain was unfamiliar with the pjrt and b-sid allowed the steam to eo ri<rht down.

The ownurs, in their endeavour to have it established that the men's quarters co.ild bo opened up in six hours after fumigation, calted John Fisher, connected with this class of work, who testified that in all las experience he had never known it to require mora than six hours for the air to clear. Similar evidence was gi*>cn by Bobert Copvoo.'c.

Referenco was again made by Mr Smith lo the action of the Seamen's Union in eoniiesioh recent maritime strike with tho purpose of inducing: the Court to'withw v pr<,fcT * nce to unionists clause. W. H. G. Bennett, -manager of tho central pay office, for the Union Steam Ship sSSSL a £ * direct<)r of tho ComkJ Steamship Company, ea d that when tho men returned to tn o wharf Titer the «£! thom" mt * il **™ >Wmber 10 £ many tf was ? £_u hl3 ■?"?* that the » «tion 35t Mr Smith: I hare a man who uva fW P e »^ T ail y instructed to X his of net the seamen were comictcd bv the fiSSf °' Urt ° f * Btrike

vi<£? YOUD(r: But ™ the ™°» <»*

His Honour: That is tho point. I a then, SfsJf P l f £* ° r "?' " oßly the action of tho men?

J?'t^S?* : * \ e w nion wa » nerer charged, and I object to Mi Smith assuming fho Union guilty when it has never erven been charged. As a mattor of fact 50 per cent of the men who were out on that occasion were sacked by the owners. His Honour; la order to convict tho Union you have either to produce a. minuto book of the Union showing that it instigated the trouble or that over 50 per cent, of tho Union members went on strike. Mr Smith: There was an admission niado in this Court yeTierday. which ia sufficient to blast tho Union'g claims fcr preference Mr Young said that tho stamp • .uojal numbers, etc.," was uut in the men's box>ks to show that they had not been "scabting" on their mates. In other Words, if the men had worked through tho trouble they would have been "scabs." Mr Smith: Docj not that show that the men who refused to work did so with tho approval and at tho instigation of the Union.

His Honoor: We know that in many cases tho Union could not carry on without the preference claiifc, and it would therefore be a vory serious thing to tnko it away. Tho Court would need very definito evidence before doing such a thing. Mr Smith: This Court differs from other Courts in that it is not bound by the, strict laws «>f ovidenco. It can inform its mind in any way it likes. Ais Honour; Of course, we do not, like some judicial 'todies, pretend ignorance of the ordinary things ot daily life. In this case, however, though wc may have our private opinions, its seriou:ncss demands that Uteri bo some definito proof.

Mr Smith presented (o (he Court a document which ho claimed had been prepared by tho Union arid circulated amongst tho fr'oo lsbour men. "It is not printed," ho said, "becauso no printer would take the risk of doing it." This document was an incitement to free labourers to abstain from an act which would bo detrimental to one great bedy of workers to whom they belonged, and contained this sentence: "Do you realise that the crganiscd'scamcn aro fighting again3t an endeavour to reduce tho working men and their women and children to the lovel of chattels?"

Mr Young:: May I say, your Honour, that while in my judgment there is a lot of truth in that document, I emphatically deny it waA issued by tho Seamen's Union or that the Union was in any way responsible for if. As a matter cf fact it was compiled and issued by an individual under no obligation to our OTjracisation at all. Thi3 in »n example of the dcspicablo tactics re-soi-ted to by the people, on tho other side. Mr B. L. Hammond, representing tho coastal shiSpina: companies, said they proposed to object to (he continuation of tho pieforeeco clause. Under the terms of the award, the Union was required, in order to be conceded preference, not only to use Ha best endeavours to prevent strikes, but also to prevent the continuance of strikes. ■Tudjred bv this test, the Union during the recent crisis bean found wanting. If the Union dU nof. instigate tho strike it Tf»4 only becviso it was a case of a pre■matuT') explosion, and while the Union v-as charging the pin it went off in their haDda. Ten days after the strike commenced tbo Union refused to give en aesuranoo that t!>« »en. if taken back, would work continum»*ly, yet after the intervention of the Prim* Minuter him time ls.ter this -rer? *«ur»Jl6« wa* given. If -the Union hud sufficient control over it» members then to air* the aaurancc, it must havo had it before.

At this it*<e the Court adjourned till to marrow, when the Union case will bo presented.