MARITIME STRIKE.

Gisborne Times, Volume LI, Issue 5245, 9 August 1919, Page 5

MARITIME STRIKE.

>G.UIKN’S CO-OPER VHYK FISHING FLEET. GISH AND RABBITS TO AUGMENT FOOD STOCKS. United Press Association—Corvrieht-. ' .SYDNEY. August 8. *be Seamen’s Union decided to or-gani-e a Heel ot fishing vess, Is to U')n: on a < o-(.‘|)i‘rativt> !•.:»!Y>j* tj„» heneiii of the union. Two vessels have already been purchased. The r.T.hui Inis al>n ivx.lv.-1 in m-ih! mon out into the country rabbit trapping in order to augment the food stocks. ME.LIiOI RXE. August 8. A summons has been issued against l.e Cornu. president of He Seamen's Federation, for ;1 I.reach of the Arbitration Act.

POTENTIAL CZAR. "LIMELIGHT WALSH. ' CRITICISED BY SEAMEN. It appears that lie is quite willing to sacrifice unionism and till it stands lor. lor notoriety and selfglorification.'’ The following letter, signed by John Barnett, J. Shea, W. J. Hopper, ami J. Corcoran, has been. forwarded from Port Adelaide to tho Adelaide press:— ‘ As members of some years standing of the Sea moil’s Federation of Australasia, we feel we must protest against the sentiments expressed by tho general secretary of the union at the Socialists’ Hall. Melbourne, on Friday night last. We are simply amazed at Walsh’s wild statements and threats, coming as they do from the general secretary. It is only natural that the public will infer that lie is expressing the feelings of the bulk of the members of the union, whereas nothing could he further from the truth. "There is nothing that could he more calculated to do the union and its cause harm than its general secretary’s wild talk of revolution, the establishment of a Soviet Government in Australia, and of accepting assistance from, and having ‘truck’ with the T.W.W. in Austria, Germany, and America. “It appears to us that Walsh, instead of considering and working fertile interests of the union, of which he is elected and paid as secretary, is simply making every effort to place himself in the. limelight, to establish himself as a martyr and hero, and to gain kudos for himself, with hopes perhaps that if the Soviet Government that he advocates is established lie may become its potential Czar. “In short, it appears that lie is 8 quite willing to sacrifice unionism and all it stands for for notoriety and self-glorification. This letter expresses the sentiments of hundreds to union men here.”

“LIKE A CITY OF THE DEAD.” EFFECTS IN MELBOURNE DRASTIC RESTRICTIONS IN . FORGE. Further restrictions upon tho uso of gas and electricity, owing to tho shortage of coal caused by tho seamon’s strike, wore announced by tho Central Coal Board in Melbourne, on July 2; they were to become operative on tho following Sunday, Tho board decided to prohibit entirely tho uso of gas or olectricitv for radiators or gas fires f° r . lighting shop windows, and to prohibit the uso of gas or electric light for any purpose between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and between 10.30 p.m. and 5 a.m. Thus, the Seamens’ Union, as led bv Mr'Walsh and other supporters of “direct action” have, said the Melbourne Age, rendered tho life of the people of Melbourne as miserable and unhappy as it can possibly be made. In. tile coldest days ot winter, there is to bo no heating by gas or electricity in shops, offices, or houses; and, of course, many houses, offices, and flats are unablo to use any other beating system. All tho shop windows arc to bo in darknoss, and- from dusk Melbourne will be like a city of the dead. Industrial disturbance, now severe, will be made even worse, for although there are now exemptions for necessary industries ab far as the use of electric power is concerned, they will be of no avail, because many of them use not onlv olectrio power, but gas in tho night time, and the pressure in tho gas mains is to be reduced to tho ultimate possible safe Limit between 10.30 p.m. and 5 a.m. This moans that there will not be enough for the bakers to bake with, or for other industries using gas at night to carry on. Melbourne people may have to endure the following disabilities and discomforts: (1) Bread supply very doubtful; (2) cooking all day by wood or oil stoves—if they are lucky enough to have either; (3) a nuichreduced suburban train service; (4) no trains of any kind after 7 p.m. on week days; (6) no warmth, except from wood fires, anywhere; (7) shops probably closing at dark, teeing that the windows cannot be lighted; (8) all streets, except in the city of Melbourne, to be in entire darkness, as far as public lijrpit-ing is concerned. . ■ In a word, we are to jump back almost to the primitive life of the dark ages. Trade will he practically stopped; unemployment will be greatly extended; distress will become more acute; the treatment of the sick will bo made even more difficult that it is now. And all has been caused by about half-a-dozen Seamen’s Union ‘“bosses refusing arbitration on their case. How long will the public put up with it?