THE SEAMEN

Grey River Argus, 1 July 1925, Page 5

THE SEAMEN

SETTLEMENT PLAN. FEDERAL PREMIER INDIFFERENT. (Received June 30 at 11.5 p.m.) MELBOURNE, June 30. A deputation representing the industrial organisations concerned in the shipping dispute waited on Mr Bruce, (Federal Premier) with a view to arriving at a settlement through the medium of the Prime Minister’s interference. The deputation submitted a scheme providing for a round the table conference to settle any future shipping disputes, and, failing a settlement being arrived at there, that a State Disputes' Committee be called to settle the trouble. If this failed, and the dispute threatened to involve other unions of an inter-State character, a Comfnonwealth Disputes’ Committee would then make an effort to settle the trouble. Mr Bruce, in reply, said he agreed th.lt a considerable amount had been done by the Disputes’ Committee to avoid an industrial upheaval, but the present trouble had arisen because the seamen deliberately forced it upon •themselves, their attitude beiilg that they did not want the ordinary arbitration machinery of Australia to apply to them. He added if Mr Walsh continued his present attitude, Australia was going to experience a tremendous industrial unrest, and the whole shipping industry would be held up again. It appeared to him that it was a time for trade unionism generally to repudiate Mr Walsh and his doctrines. He (Mr Bruce) would not interfere. •He advised the seamen, if they had a method of settling the trouble, to submit it to the Commonwealth Line’s •management. jtu