Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 1925. SEAMEN’S “STRIKE.”

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 August 1925, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 1925. SEAMEN’S “STRIKE.”

It is difficult to take the British seamen’s strike very seriously, despite the much publicity given to the hold-up of a few ships. The dispute arose, as so many do, on the question of wages, the recent reduction being unpalatable to the men, which is not surprising. About two months ago, the unions agreed that the increase of £1 per month granted last year by the shipowners, in the hope that the freight position would improve, should be removed as from August 1, current articles to be affected by the reduction. The freight position, unfortunately, has not improved, and il was a case of aeccpling lower wages Io help the industry, or being unemployed. That Air.

Havelock Wilson and his union officials were right in accepting thd lesser evil cannot be doubted. The men’s irritation was natural, but in the Homeland, cominonsense prevailed, and no serious trouble arose. The men on ships reaching Australian ports, and particularly Sydney, the centre of extremist tactics, fell easy prey to the wiles of Walsh and Johansen. Seamen’s wages in Australia and New Zealand are much higher than those the Homeland lines pay, and this often induces men on the latter vessels to ( desert on touching at Australian and Dominion ports, to obtain similar employment on overseas boats, at higher pay. Walsh and his colleagues had no difficulty in convincing the Homeland men of the “injustice” done to them, and the temporary “strike” -was the consequence. How long it will last depends on how long the strikers are subsidised by Australian unions. The Homelanders are prepared to follow Walsh as against Wilson, providing the former can arrange to have levies made on behalf of the strikers, but once that willingness to keep others in idleness so will the strike. Comparatively few vessels have, so far, been affected, and it will be surprising if the trouble extends seriously. It has been said —and not without reason—that the dispute has been engineered by those with anti-British bias, thus foreign ships, paying much lower wages and maintaining worse conditions for their crews, are not interfered with by the Australian unions. Overseas people are “touchy” about any alleged Homeland interference with the Dominions’ affairs, yet they usurp the right to dictate to English unions and employers how their ships should be regulated. The fact is that Walsh and Company having been recently defeated in their fight to majntain job control on Australian boats, are seeking..prestige in another direction. When this dispute fizzled out, it can be expected that they will turn their peculiar talents at mischief-making in some other direction. Australia is sick and tired of the whole gang, but seems timid about taking direct action.' Mr. Bruce has persuaded his Federal colleagues to put into operation the Deportation Act, but is getting no support from the State Governments. Admittedly, the deportation of political or economic opponents should not be tried except under very special circumstances, as the power might be misused. In the ease of Walsh and Johansen, however, they deserved deportation long ago, and Australia has shown wonderful patience with these imported pests. New Zealand can think itself fortunate that it has a Government able to sec the danger to the country’s peace such men could make, and short shrift is given here to agitators, as was instanced by the action taken towards Noel Lyons, the ham and eggs Communist.

Those who think that Lyons did not get a fair deal should remember the mischief Walsh and Company have done in the neighbouring Commonwealth. Walsh and his supporters make no secret that their object is to create industrial strifq with the object of replacing the present system by Communism, and the latest dispute is merely a round in the contest. It is regrettable that wages have to be reduced, but the circumstances make it inevitable. The Homeland seamen temporarily in these parts, left to themselves, would be reasonable, and it is to be hoped that they will soon realise that their present tactics are not in their own interests.