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Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 64, 9 December 1935, Page 9

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Government Action In Shipping Strike LICENSING TO APPLY Refusal of Request For Delay By lirlegrnpb—Press Assn.- Cupyright.. (Received December 8, 6.30 p.m.) Jlelboume, December 8. The Federal Cabinet acted promptly on Saturday regarding the shipping strike and decided that tlie Transport Workers Act shall be applied against seamen on Tuesday, when the necessary regulations will ,)e gazetted. The Federal Attorney-General, Hon. R. G. Menzies, had a conference with the general secretary of the Seamen's Union, Mr. Jacob Johnson, and the secretary of the Australian Council of Trades Unions, Mr. C. Crofts. Later he met the chairman of the Commonwealth Steamship Owners’ Association. Mr. A. Elford. Mr. Menzies stated that all aspects of the dispute were discussedj Mr. Crofts asking for a further deday in the proclaiming of the Transport Workers Act. Mr. Menzies informed Mr. Crofts that this was not possible. The Government would no longer permit the impression to arise that there was any hesitancy about its policy. Moreover, the dispute was essentially one between the seamen and the award of the court, and the Government was not directly concerned with the merits of the dispute. Accordingly, he had given notice in writing to the seamen’s secretary and Mr. Crofts of the Government’s intention to apply the licensing system to seamen as from next Tuesday. He impressed on the men that the licensing system when applied would ccntinue permanently. The Government intended to put down direct • action. The Government’s ultimatum having been received, it was announced that a conference of the unions involved would be held to-day instead of on Monday, and further meetings of seamen in each State would be held on Monday to consider the position. Volunteer seamen were recruited today in Melbourne for the four Holyman freighters. There was no interference by the strikers. Mr. A. Turley, general secretary of the Waterside Workers’ Federation, advised the members of his union to take no part in the seamen’s strike unless and until the strike committee of the Australian Council Trades Unions directed otherwise. The seamen, on the other hand, hare no faith in the latter organisation. VOLUNTEER CREW Sailing of Niagara (Received December 8, 6.30 p.m.)' Sydney, December 8. The Niagara sailed at 1 p.m. ou Saturday for Auckland, and no trouble was experienced. She picked up a volunteer crew down the harbour. MORE SHIPS TIE UP. Situation at Sydney ! Sydney, December 7. More vessels from Adelaide and Melbourne were tied up upon arrival at Sydney, but a volunteer crew was signed on for the freighter Carlisle by the owners, James Patrick and Company. The Orford, which is sailing for Brisbane to-day, has been granted a license to carry inter-State passengers.