AUSTRALIAN STRIKE.

Grey River Argus, 29 November 1927, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN STRIKE.

MEN SEEK CONFERENCE.

Owners’ Non-Committal Reply. POSSIBILITY OF SEAMEN BEING INVOLVED. (Ans. and N.Z. Cabie Assn). (Received November 28 at 8.50 p.m.) SYDNEY, November 28. The prevalent waterside opinion is that unless a settlement is reached be fore Wednesday, the result of the shipowners ’ ultimatum will be that the Watersiders’ Federation Committee will declare all the overseas and interstate ships “black,” thus involving the seamen.

The watersiders claim that the trouble can bo averted if the owners agree to a conference, enabling the men to express their grievances and have them adjusted. The owners reply that the Federation having declared that a resumption of normal work under existing conditions was impossible, have now, in seeking a conference, thrown off the mask of a pretended desire to reach the Arbitration Court, which was actually the very last thing they desired. MELBOURNE, November 28.

There is every indication that th< waterside dispute, unless agreement is reach'd before Wednesday next, when the owners’ ultimatum expires, will develop into something approach ing the 1917 dispute, particularly if the shipowners resort to the establishment of a free labour bur an. A great deal depends on the attitude of the seamen. The latter are holding the monthly stop work meetings at all ports on Tuesday, at which they will decide what attitude to adopt. POSITION AT BRISBANE. BRISBANE, November 28. The overtime strike is seriously delaying the departure of all shipping. A fresh dispute has arisen, the watersiders refusing to work a cargo of cement on the steamer Tairoa unless paid an extra shilling hourly. The agents for the steamer are referring the dispute to the Board of Trade. KIWITEA DECLARED “BLACK.” (Received November 28 at 11.5 p.m.) .SYDNEY, November 28. The Union Company’s steamer Kiwitea was placed on the black list at Newcastle, where she arrived with a load of zinc from Hobart. The wharf labourers refuse to unload the cargo because it was loaded by the Zine Company’s own employees.