SHIPS HELD UP AT SYDNEY

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21644, 30 November 1935, Page 15

SHIPS HELD UP AT SYDNEY

SPREAD OF DISPUTE INDICATED WANGANELLA AFFECTED POSSIBLE BEGINNING OP STRIKE • (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPTBIGHT.) (Received November 29, 8.30 p.m.)| SYDNEY, November 29. The Burns, Philp steamer Mangola, which was due to sail to-day for Java, is unable to secure a crew. This is the first ship to call for a crew under the new maritime award.

It may mean that it is the first shot in the threatened maritime strike, and it may also influence the Union Steam Ship Company regarding the crew of the Niagara, which is due on Monday. Although Union Company officials refused,to comment, it is considered in shipping circles that a volunteer crew will be re-engaged. Important developments later today indicated an early extension of the shipping dispute. Another effort to obtain a crew for the Mangola failed. Afterwards the crew of the inter-state steamer Manoora, which is listed to sail to-morrow for Fremdntle, gave 24 hours' notice. Ten members of the crew of tha Wanganella, which is due to sail for Auckland to-morrow, and one each of the freighters Duntroon and Macedon, also gave notice. The Wanganella has 250 passengers. It is regarded as unlikely that any action will be taken to hold up ships at Melbourne until after the seamen's meeting there next Tuesday. The Commonwealth Navigation Department adopted the unusual course to-night of permitting the overseas liner Strathnaver, which sailed for England, to take the Manoora's interstate passengers. This action, it is understood, has angered the seamen. A complete dislocation in shipping is expected over the week-end.

A message from Sydney on November 26 stated that the seamen, in Sydney and "Melbourne had rejected the recent award made by Judge Dethridge in the Arbitration Court The objections included the loss of 3d an hour overtime, the failure of tfce court to provide a differential rate for the rigging of gear for loading and unloading, and loss of "clocking" time for deferred sailing. The Sydney and Melbourne branches of the union decided to refuse work under the new award. This was taken to mean that working seamen would automatically be withdrawn from the vessels as they reached their home port after December 1. The committee of management of the Sydney branch of the Seamen's Union urged that no action should be taken until the result of a plebiscite on the acceptance of the award became known, but this proposal was rejected by a large majority.