SYDNEY WATERFRONT

Evening Star, Issue 25699, 24 January 1946, Page 5

SYDNEY WATERFRONT

KATOOMBA TROUBLE SPREADS EVENTS TAKE SERIOUS TURN SYDNEY, January 23. In spite of earlier reports that the unions concerned were not anxious for the Katoomba dispute to spread, events took a more serious turn to-day, when 12,000 waterside workers refused an offer for work. Stormy scenes occurred at the waterside workers' meeting. The men defied the union executive, which urged a return to work, and it is now feared that overseas ships will be drawn into the dispute. In the meantime, nearly all the New Zealand passengers are sticking to the ship, a substitute vessel for which is yet to be found. The Otranto is no longer being considered in that capacity. Yesterday 140 waterside workers refused to unload the Katoomba until the other ship should arrive. To-day these were among the 1,200 men at the pick-up contre. Overnight the union had negotiated with the Minister for Shipping, Senator W. P. Ashley, and had agreed that in return for a Government undertaking that the passengers would be permitted to remain on the ship, the waterside workers would unload it to-day. The men were ordered back to the Katoomba this morning. They Tefused, and none of the 1,200 offered for work. The walk-out left the Karetu, Kooliga, and Suva without labour. The Karetu has 3,000 tons of general cargo from New Zealand, which she must discharge before proceeding to o'ther ports to load much-needed pig iron, steel, and coke for southern New Zealand ports. The Suva is a troopship just in from Lae with 3,000 tons of military cargo. A meeting which was held after the refusal became so stormy that the executive officers left, whereupon the waterside workers passed a vote of no-<jonfidence in the executive and elected their own committ.ee to conduct the strike.