SEAMEN'S'ATTITUDE

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 118, 15 November 1922, Page 6

SEAMEN'S'ATTITUDE

WAITING FOR OUTSIDE SUPPORT?

ALLIANCE OF LABOUR ADJOURNS.

Although nothing official was given out as to what occurred at to-day,'s meting of seamen, it is assumed that generally the sailers and firemen are not yet in a mood to 'go back to the ships in a body. Meanwhile other men are rapidly being found to. fill their places. For this reason it would seem that the seamen are waiting to see whether support will be forthcoming from outside their own organisation before definitely decidingwhether or not to call the hold-up at an end. ~ The award of the Arbitration Court in the waterside workers' dispute is. expected to be issued at a very, early date, and a good deal may depend upon bow the watersiders view the situation. This morning a conference was proceeding between representatives of the \Watersiders' Federation and the Court in reference to the compilation of the award. It is stated that the watersiders early in the week contemplated siding with the seamen, but that it was finally decided to; withhold any definite action for the present, one reason actuating this course being the fear of the formation of another union, about which there has been some 'talk on the waterfront lately. 'Further sittings of the executive of the Alliance of Labour, ■which opened in Wellington on Monday, have been postponed for the present. -Some of the members of the alliance executive are engaged on other business. Mr. M. J. Mack, the president of the Alliance of Labour, is also secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, and the executive of that organisation is at present engaged on what is stated to be the most momentous business in the history of the society. Waterside workers' representatives. on the alliance are also busy on other matters, and the seamen's representatives are, of course, busily occupied at tho present time. Some of the members of the alliance executive, however, were prevented by the irony of fate from reaching Wellington because of tho shipping trouble, and that was one of the reasons which prompted a postponement of the sittings of the executive until a later date.

. The industrial situation generally seems to hang upon the final pronouncement of-the Arbitration Court on the 3s wages reduction. Argument on the matter is to take place before the Court tomorrow. If v the reduction is confirmed, it is stated, that there is a possibility of the seamen's trouble spreading among organisations connected with the Alliance of Labour.