SHIPPING HOLD-UP

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 186, 4 May 1933, Page 11

SHIPPING HOLD-UP

Dispute Not Settled POSITION INTENSIFIED Sailings Disorganised LATEST DEVELOPMENTS No settlement of the dispute between the shipowners and the Seamen’s Union, which is at present con- , fined to Wellington, was arrived at yesterday, with the consequence that the grave hold-up of shipping was intensified by the addition of several other vessels to the fleet detained on Tuesday. The only ships to leave port yesterday were the ferry steamej: Rangatira. which sailed at, lie.r usual time for Lyttelton, and the ' small cargo steamer Tees, which left at a late hour for Dunedin. As was indicated in "The Dominion’’ yesterday, the members of the'Seamen’s Union met at 8 o’clock in the morning and hold several lengthy sessions during the day. What transpired at the meetings is not known, the union oflicials declining to make any statement. Apparently it was decided to continue i the "hold-up.” .Krom what cau be gathered, a large number of the men affected are strongly opposed to the drastic method of a hold-up of shipping as a protest against the wage cut and modified conditions of service afloat. Matters in Dispute. It is authoritatively stated that the result of the national ballot was not favourable to the acceptance of a further 5 per cent, cut and new conditions. After the result of the ballot was known a further conference between the shipowners and the union was held without finality being reached on all the proposals. At the conclusion of the conference on April 24, it was agreed that the new conditions offered the seamen last October should be put into effect as from May 1, and continue for one month; also, that a small committee of two representatives from each side should be set up to explore the possibilities of an amicable settlement of the matters remaining in dispute, and to report back to a full conference at the end of the month. At all ports except Wellington the stop-work meetings of seamen held on Tuesday accepted this arrangement, but <at Wellington it was rejected. It is understood that the shipowners are not willing to depart from the arrangement, and the union is still considering whether the arrangement should be endorsed or not. At one time yesterday it was stated that the disaffected members of the union were determined to prevent every ship from sailing, but wiser counsels prevailed in regard to the Lyttelton ferry steamer Rangatira, •which, manned by her usual crew, sailed on time last night. It is possible that the union was aware that the company was determined that this ship .would sail in tiny case. Intercolonial Liners to Fay Off. The Monowai and Maunganui were flying their "Blue Peters” yesterday ns. an indication that they would be leaving port, but as no settlement was reached, their sailings were again cancelled. It is understood tliat the crews of both the Monowai and Maunganui were given 24 hours’ notice of their termination of their engagement at 5 p.m. yesterday. This can he taken as an indication tiiat, unless a settlement of the trouble is reached beforehand, nil hands will be paid off this afternoon. Whether steps will be taken by the ■Union Company to call for free labour to man the ships in place of members of the Seamen’s Union is not. known. There are only three alternatives: (1) A settlement of the dispute enabling the unionist crews to sail in the ships: (2) mantling by free labour: or (3) to lay the ships up. The Maunganui in the ordinary course of events should have sailed on Tuesday iu time to arrive at Sydney on Saturday, leaving there again next week on the return voyage to San Francisco. The Monowai is scheduled to leave Auckland to-morrow for Sydney. but under present circumstances she cannot fulfil this arrangement. Other Ships Affected. The trouble Ims extended to the T’lcton ferry steamer Tamahine, which had to cancel her usual sailing yesterday. The Nelson ferry steamer Arahura, which was held up on Tuesday night, was to have made a daylight run to Nelsou and back yesterday, but this arrangement had to lie cancelled. It is stated that ‘‘permission” was given to her to sail, but as some members of the crew were away ashore, the ship could not leave. Other vessels held up last night were tiie cargo vessels Waimarino, Awahou, Gale. Port Whangarei. 81.'X. due io arrive to-day are the ferry si earner Maori and the cargo steamers Wainui, from Melbourne via Southern ports, the Kapiti, Holmdale, rind Calm from Lyttelton, and Kaimai from Greymonth, Ibe Jnaha from J’atea, the Canopus from Westport, the Poolta from Gisborne, and the Gael from Hokitika. Support. From Watcrsiders. At a stop-work meeting of the Wellington Waterside Workers’ Union yesterday morning, 11. was decided that /support should be accorded the seamen. The action to lie taken by the Waterside Workers’ Union, it was stated, would depend upon future events.

DUNEDIN AFFECTED

New Articles for Waipiata MEN REFUSE TO SIGN ON By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedin, May 4. Though it was reported from various sources this afternoon that there seemed no likelihood of shipping trouble in Dunedin, it was found later that the Union Company's coastal steamer Waipiata, which was scheduled to sail this evening, could not lie cleared, as the men refused to sign on under the new articles. The ship’s articles had expired, and new ones were prepared under the conditions outlined in messages received from Wellington, and the seamen were unwilling to accept the terms, the stumbling block apparently being certain alterations to the clauses bearing on conditions. No alteration in wages or rates of overtime was proposed in the new articles. No other ship at Dunedin is affected

by the situation which has arisen, the Union Company's Opilii and the motorvessel Holmglen sailing at their appointed times to-night.

LYTTELTON SAILINGS

According to Schedule NO TROUBLE DEVELOPS By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch. May 4. Although there were more coastal and intercolonial vessels (han usual at Lyttelton to-day, no trouble occurred, and the vessels scheduled to sail did so without, incident. A rumour was current during the afternoon that the ferry steamer Maori might be held up, but this proved untrue, as the Maori sailed at the usual time.