LINER HOLD-UP

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 188, 7 May 1931, Page 11

LINER HOLD-UP

Dispute Over Monowai’s Manning

SEAMEN GIVE WAY

After being delayed for 24 hours by a manning dispute, the Union Company’s Royal Mail liner Monowai left Wellington for Sydney at 7.30 p.m. yesterday. The dispute arose on Tuesday, when the Monowai was taking out new articles, through the refusal of the men, acting, it is understood, on orders from the Seamen’s Union, to sign on unless three men, whose services were no longer desired, were re-engaged. The Monowai, with passengers, mails, and cargo on board, was ready to sail at 8 o’clock on Tuesday night, but no crew having been engaged her departure was postponed, provisionally, till noon yesterday. A crowd of idle men congregated near the Seamen’s Union offices yesterday morning Indicated that

a meeting was being held, but no decision having been reached the ship’s sailing time was further postponed till 1 p.m., and then till 2 p.m.

It is stated that the Union Company had decided if the dispute was not settled by 2 (/clock, that the ship was to be removed to the stream, and manned by members of the permanent staff in order to got her away to sea. It was further stated that certain unemployed men were anxious and willing to sign on in the ship, and that many members of her discharged crew were indignant at the holdup, but had had to conform to union law, Whether these factors influenced the union is not known, but at all events word was sent to the Union Company requesting that the. ship be not moved pending the decision of a meeting at the Trades Hall to discuss the position. The Monowai remained at the wharf, and shortly before 5 o’clock the company was informed that a crew, which would not include the three men objected to by the company’s officers would be forthcoming. The .ship’s articles were then completed, and with a full crew the Monowai sailed for Sydney at 7.30 p.m. Then and Now. Considerable comment was aroused in shipping circles by the hold-up of the Monowai. It is recalled that on December 15 a deputation representing the seamen of New Zealand waited on the Postmaster-Geiieral to protest against the practice of giving charters to foreign ships paying lower wages and working longer hours than on New Zealand ships. The president Mr. F. I’. Walsh) said tho .Seamen’s Union viewed the position with grave concern, especially as there were fifteen ships idle at the time in New Zealand. He had complained of the matter on three previous occasions.

The position has not improved as far as the unemployment of seafarers is concerned since December, yet a manning dispute held a New Zealand-manned ship up for 24 hours and threatened the whole crew with loss of employment. The Monowai had on board, in addition to her passengers, mails and other cargo, some 2000 bales of wool for transhipment at Sydney to Japan and elsewhere. The irony of .the situation was that this was being held up with risk of loss of connection at Sydney, while a Japanese ship was busily loading wool at Wellington wharf direct for Japan.