SHIPPING TELEGRAMS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 February 1916, Page 7

SHIPPING TELEGRAMS.

COLLISION AT SEA. LONDON, January 30.-The ship Ben Lee, from Liverpool to Sydney, collided with the American liner Philadelphia, off South Stack. The Ben Lee's crew took to the boats, all excepting one man.being saved. When the captain left tlie Ben Lee the deck was awash. LOST AT SEA. TWO SHIPS GO DOWN. NEW YORK, January 31. The White Star steamer Boveric reports having picked up a wireless message at seat indicating that two-steam-ers were lost ia (he Atlantic, one being the Appalachee, a British oil tanker, and another whose name is unknown. The crew were rescued by a steamer. Received this day at '). 10 a.m. SYDNEY, This Day. The underwriters have received a Loudon cable that the ("lan :.faeTavish is overdue, and they are paying 80 guineas reinsurance. TERRIFIC WEATKtiLi. SYDNEY, This Day.-Vessels arriving report terrific weather. A WRECK. MELBOURNE, This Day.—An unknown vessel, which however is supposed fc-> he a Norwegian bargue, _ is reported to have been wrecked on King Island. A tug has gone to her assistance. Later. The vessel ashore at King Island is the Norwegian sailer Sorfareren, timer laden from Gothenburg to Melbourne. She will probably be refloated. The crew are believed to be safe.

WAS IT A STRJKE. AX INTERESTING CASE. BLACKBALL COAL COMPANY CONCERNED. BT TELEGRAPH—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. WELLINGTON, This Day. The Inspector of Awards proceeded in the Magistrate's Court to-day against six wharf labourers, who walked nit the steamer Dalmore on. December 30th, objecting to work the coal except at an increased rate 0 i pay. The question was: Did their action constitute a strike? Proceedings were taken under Section 5 of the Act of last session. Defendants are all members of the Wellington Waterside Workers' Union. It was urged that they were bound by the agreement entered into by the Union, to which the Blackball Coal Coy. is also a party. On 30th December the foreman of that Company employed the men to discharge coal from the Dalmore, the rate 0 f pay being fixed at Is 6d per hour. After commencing the men asked for 2s on the ground that the coal was very dusty and unusually dirty. The foreman offered Is 8d "but the men refused and walked off the ship. Later when an effort was being made to provide another gang two men stated that they objected to the foul smell arising from the bilges. For the defence it was urged that the men were really employed by Scales ;,nd Co., who are not a party to the agreement; that there was no strike because there was n 0 combination among the "labourers with intent to compel the employers t 0 grant tl endemands. Decision was reserved. THE KOMATA. STILL HELD FAST.

WELLINGTON, Last night. An examination of the Union Co. s collier Komata, stranded at I'enearrow discloses two feet of water in,the bilges of the bridge bulkhead. Water is bubbling through the points of the stokehold floor plates, but the engine room is quite dry, indicating that the damage is forward. The vessels is apparently held ham fast by a pinnacle of rock ju&t under No. 2'hold. She moved somewhat under the strain of ropes at high water, perhaps two feet. A hulk was placed alongside.yesterday afternoon to receive the coal. A small steamer is standing by in case the weather changes. The Terawhiti, with additional gear, returned to the Komata. No attempt was made this morning at high tide to tow her off, but more coal was removed and transhipped into a hulk alongside. She lies at present on the solid without a damaging movement. She is fast bead ou to the rocks and has made considerable water. The engine room is free. Another attempt to tow her oft will be made at high tide this afternoon. Divers attempted to ascertain the damage, but were thwarted by the kelp on the rocks and the strong current. ■