SEAMEN’S STRIKE

Grey River Argus, 12 August 1935, Page 5

SEAMEN’S STRIKE

At Sydney END EXPECTED TO-DAY. , k Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assn.) (Received August 11, 7 p.m.) SYDNEY, August. 11. Some circles believe tha't the seamen ’s, strike will end to-morrow. The Wanganella’s crew, when giving notice at sea,, qualified their notice* by securing the right to re-open the whole question of the hold up when . they arrived at Sydney. SYDNEY, August 10. Last night, while the Wanganella was at sea between Sydney and Melbourne, the crew notified the captain that they would tie the vessel up on her return to Sydney on Sunday. The New Zealand Prime Ministqr (Mr. G. W. Forbes) was to have left by the Wanganella on Monday for Auckland. For the first time in Australian marine history, a trawler has become a mail steamer, the Alfie r sm leaving Sydney last night with 100 bags of mail for New Zealand and flying the Royal Mail pennant. The Alfie Cam was only seven miljs out when a steam pipe blew out. She was forced to return, but sailed later and is expected to reach New Zealand in five days. Postal officials stated that the trawler was being used because .she would be in New Zealand before any of the regular liners. The present shipping dispute occurred, states a Melbourne message, over £lO which the Seamen’s Union says should have been distributed among 25 members of the crew of the Murada as overtime and deferred sailing time pay. When the company refused to pay, the crew refused to obey orders. They were dismissed and were given endorsed discharges. When a man presenting a Murada discharge certificate was rejected for employment in Sydney on the Zealandia, this vessel was held up. The Murada is now tied up at Melbourne.

A statement from the Australian Steamship Owners’ Federation alleges that the Seamen’s Union is resorting to illegal action to enforce its claims and that this is a distinct breach of their agreement, which provides that all disputes shall be referred to a board of conciliation. MELBOURNE, August 9. Senator T. C. Brennan, the acting Federal Attorney-General, after conferring with the shipping authorities about the shipping strike, said to day that if the Talune and the Zealandia failed to sail by Monday the Federal Government would immediately determine a course of action. It would probably institute a system of licensing seamen, as was done with waterside workers. Authorities in maritime law to day declared that the basic case for the ship owners is that they are again defending their legal and ethical right of free selection, which is challenged by the Seamen’s Union. This had to be considered apart from any justification of sympathy for the firemen who had been refused employment ou the Zealandia.

Fears have been expressed that the strike is likely to spread to the Tasmanian passenger service, involving the Nairana and the Taroona.