MR. W. T. YOUNG'S OPINIONS.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 141, 11 December 1902, Page 6

MR. W. T. YOUNG'S OPINIONS.

Interviewed by a Post representative this morning, Mr. W. T. Young, Secretary of the Wellington section of the Australian Federated Seamen's Union, made the following statement: — "It is to be regretted that the conference between the representatives of the Australian Steamship Owners' Federation and the Australasian Federated Seamen's Union which has been silting in Sydney duiing the last day or so discussing the general working conditions of seamen has terminated without arriving at any satisfactory settlement. From all appearances it looks as if a general strike is imminent, and it may be said that the seamen have some justification for adopting such a course. In order to convey a fair expression of the points in disuute to the

general public it is essential to go to the bedrock of the whole question. It must be borne in mind that up to September of 1893 Australasian seamen received the wage which the owners now propose to reduce one pound per month, and I may say that I regard this attitude on the part of the owners as being due to the influence of a very prominent New Zealand mercantile gentleman. In the month and year referred to the owners, taking advantage of the weakness of the Sea- j men's Union, caused through the severity of the maritime strike of 1890, reduced ; •wages .two pounds per month and overtime sixpence per hour. In the beginning of 1897 the representatives of the | seamen were successful in getting wages increased one pound, and in January of 1900 they were again successful in obtaining another increase of ten shillings. At the conference held at Melbourne in December of 1901 the owners conceded another increase of ten shillings, which brought the wages back to what they were prior to the reduction of 1893, although the overtime still remains at the reduced rate. — namely, one shilling per hour. At the last conference, held in June, the owners agreed .to continue standard rates for another six month 3, the seamen's representatives agreeing to reduce ten shillings at the end of this year if the owners could show that trade had fallen off during the interval. The effect of the Federal tariff has been to increase Australia's coastal trade between the States, and it is fair to assume that trade has increased rather than decreased, although probably the drought has to be taken into consideration on this point. "In the event of a general strike the question arises, What effect will this have on New Zealand by way of trade, etc.? In view of our existing industrial conditions it would be impossible for the New Zealand portion of the organisation to call out the seamen on the intercolonial and coastal steamers to assist their comrades to victory across. the water, seeing that we are working under an award of the Arbitration Court, and it being illegal under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act for any union to strike whilst an award, of the Court is in operation. In view of this it is only reasonable to say that our intercolonial and coastal trade will continue uninterrupted, although, if necessary, we will give the Australian seamen all the monetary assistance possible in order to keep them out in support of their rights. This, I think, will be more effective than striking, as by this method we can keep om men in employment and feed the strikers across the water. In regard to the three Huddart-Parker vessels, owned in Australia and trading to New Zealand, I don't assume that the strike, if proclaimed, will affect them, as these vessels are working under New Zealand conditions and have been so doing for some considerable time. While that is so, however, Huddart-Parker are not bound by the award of the Court, there being m power in the Conciliation and Arbitration Act whereby the company could be made a party to the same. Nevertheless, the seamen on these vessels are under the control of the New South Wales branch, and if the Australian portion of the organisation deems it advisable. to call them out on strike it has the undoubted right to do so, as we in New Zealand have no control over them. "The vessels of the Union Company, such as the Ovalau, Taviuni, Manapouri, and Hauroto, trading between New Zealand, the South Pacific Islands, and Australia will not be affected, as the last award of the Court included this trade, which previously was exclude^. The vessels known as the San Francisco mail boats will not be affected, as the seamen on them are all members of the Seamen's Union of the Pacific, and are receiving 50 and 45 dollars respectively per month, or about £2 in advance of the wage paid on Australian vessels. The Vancouver service will, however, be affected, as all the seamen on these three vessels are members of the Australian union and work under Australian conditions, consequently they will come out in support of the strikers. "It may be premature to say what the exact result will be, but I feel confident that we shall win- the day. The facilities for joining the organisation are altogether , different to what they were when the maritime strike of 1890 transpired. Through this the consolidation of the seamen has reached a height that has never been known before in the history of the organisation, and we are now prepared for all emergencies. AH precautions will be taken by the union on this side of the 'pond' to prevent seamen going to Australia while the dispute is pending, and in this connection I anticipate little or no difficulty. "The Australian shipowners complain o? the competition by oversea steamers such as the Orient Line, P. and 0., etc., but while there is s?ome slight competition in this connection, as shown by statistics, it must be borne in mind that the quantity of trade and number of passengers carried has increased about threefourths on the figures of 1893, when the reduction took place. Consequently, when all is said and done on this point, statistics prove that the Australian owners, ' notwithstanding the alleged competition, are better off now than when they paid the higher wage. I should also like to point out that the seamen are not striking for an increase of wages or a betterment of the general working conditions, but simply to retain that which they have been receiving for some considerable time. In this case the owners want to reduce £1 per month on wages. The men resist this and nothing else."