THE COASTAL STRIKE

Evening Star, Issue 16550, 9 October 1917, Page 4

THE COASTAL STRIKE

SEAMEN'S UNION WANT IT ENDED. [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, October 9. A meeting of tho Seamen's Union yesterday decided' to approach the Shipowners' Federation with a view to the reopening of negotiations in the endeavor to come to some sort of compromise regarding tho mosquito fleet dispute.

/ THE CASE OP THE KOTARE. VESSEL DECOMMISSIONED TO-DAY. There is every prospect of an early settlement of tho dispute botweon the shipowners and tho coastal soamon—that is to say, so far as tho port of Dunedin is concerned. The coastal steamer Kotarc, after being laid up at tho Rattray etrcet wharf for oyer two weeks, was again put in commission to<lay. Steam was raised on tho vessel yesterday, and several gangs of watersido workors woro busily engaged all day in loading her with general cargo. It will be remembered thai the crow of tho Kotaro left the vessel on her arrival here from' Timaru about a fortnight ago, owing to tho dispute over placing two seamen in a watch. Arrangements had been mado for tho despatch of the Kotaro yesterday, as tho seamen had agreed to go to sea under tho old conditions. Later on, however, they again insisted on having two men on a watch, and tho Kotaro therefore remained at her berth. It maybe efated that tlio assistant secretary of the Dunedin branch of the Soamen's Union informed a ' Star' reporter this morning that tho men who left the Kotaro did so without consulting him in any way. They acted on their own responsibility, and without thoauthority of tho union. Mr Keith Ramsay, local agent for the Kotare, when seen in regard to the matter to-day, said that he had conferred with the acting secretary of the union, and it was quite apparent that tho union officials were anxious that tho Kotare's crow should resume under tho old conditions. Mr Ramsay was making arrangements to despatch tho Kotare to-night with a full general cargofor Timaru and Wellington, and the captain was waiting to sign the crew on tho articles, but they had not "signed on up to noon. -It was anticipated, however, that tho men would sign on before the shipping office closed to-day. The Kotare has been fixed to load a cargo of scrap iron at Wellington for the return trip to Dunedin.

It is understood that some dissatisfaction exists amongst the various branches of tjie Seamen's Union in regard to the handling by the Wellington executive of the coastal fleet industrial trouble. It is said that a conference has been called at Wellington to fully discuss tho action of the executive. Tho secretary of the Dunedin branch of the Seamen's Union (Mr W. Clarke) left hero yesterday for Wellington to attend the conference, and it is reported that the secretarv of the Auckland branch is also on his way to Wellington to have a "voice" at it.