COASTAL TRADE RESTORED.

Evening Star, Issue 18140, 2 December 1922, Page 7

COASTAL TRADE RESTORED.

SIXTY VESSELS IN COMMISSION. SHIPOWNERS SATISFIED. [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, December 1. No settlement of the trouble generally so far as the members of the teamen’s Union are concerned is likely to bo effected until after the National - Council of tlie union, meets in Wellington again next week. In the meantime everything in connection with the running of the vessels of the various companies is proceeding smootlily. Altogether approximately sixty vessels are in commission on the coast. It is reported that the work of the crews is entirely satisfactory. Mr T. ‘O. Bishop (secretary of the Shipowners’ Federation) stated to-day that the ships were running to time. There was not the slightest indication that any crews were becoming dissatisfied, “ They are certainly doing their work quite well,” re•marked Mr Bishop. AN AMUSING -STATEMENT, INTERRUPTED CONFERENCE. [Special to the ‘ Star.’] WELLINGTON, December 3. There is amusement in various quarters at the assertion tht the seamen’s executive closed because of the suggestion that the men wore backing down. If, as Mr Young states, the seamen throughout the dominion have been instructed not to take notice of statements in the newspapers, why (it is asked) did the executive take notice of the suggestion about bad;mg down? Mr Young has said that a settlement might have been effected on Wednesday if it had not been for what was published, and therefore it appears as if the executive had preferred to allow the men and their families to suffer a little longer on. account of the executive's individual sensitiveness. By delaying the settlement the executive is really causing the unionists alone to suffer, because the owners are finding no difficulty in obtaining crews.

WAIOTAPU SAILS. [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, December 2. With a total free-labor crew of thirtyone (including seventeen who signed on vcslcrday), the Waiotapu sailed for Wellington at 11 o’clock last night. NO LOCAL DEVELOPMENTS. There wore no fresh developments in connection with the shipping trouble at ilie port of Dunedin to-day. More interest than usual was taken in the arrival _of the Union Company’s Pacific trader Waihomo, which reached the harbor at 11 a.m. from Vancouver via San Francisco, Samoa, Fiji, and north New Zealand ports. The crew of this vessel are on Australian articles, and tho men arc, therefore, bound to proceed on to .Sydney with the ship. Throe members of the stokehold crow, who belong to Lyttelton, signed off tbe articles at that port on 'Thursday; but she still had her complement, and_ came down with one boiler out of commission. The Waihetno has a largo _ quantity of Canadian qnd American freight for discharge here. She will sail on Tuesday for Timaru and Sydney. It is understood that the Union Company has decided to despatch the Paloona from Wellington on Monday afternoon for Melbourne, manned by tho free labor crew shipped at Dunedin on Thursday. Arrangements have been made for the passengers bonked at Bluff and Dunedin by the Paloona to proceed by train and ferry to Wellington in time to join the vessel on Monday. The Paloona ni2de an excellent run from Dunedin to Lyttelton on Thursday night. She averaged over twelve knots an hour, which is her usual speed when manned by a union crew. The mail steamer Malcura, which was held up at Sydney, was despatched front that port at 5.30 p.m. yesterday for Auckland. .She is line at the northern, port, on Tuesday morning, and will bo despatched on Wednesday for Suva, Honolulu, and Vancouver. The Malaya, which is now running eight days behind schedule, lime, is an oil-burner, and experienced men are therefore not necessary to work_ below docks. The steamer will have no difficulty in maintaining her usual speed.