STRIKE OF FISHERMEN

Grey River Argus, 12 October 1936, Page 4

STRIKE OF FISHERMEN

AGAINST LOW PRICE Extends at Auckland (Per Press Association). AT’CKLAND. October 11. Since three fish markets have not agreed to pay 2d per lb for lhe sehnap]ier caught by the Auckland seine-net fishermen, the “Stay Ashore” movement. begun c.n Friday by the owners and crews of the; fish ng fleet, is still' in operation. Fivejmats returned io port to-day, and. their owners ami views have aD 1 decided to stay n-hore until a better price is guaranteed. ’fhere is a possibility that the dispute wifl be settled to-morrow, atwo of the, three markets that are refusing to pay the increased price are stated to be willing to accede to the fishermen’s demands if the: other market also pays 2d per th. A member of the. committee eontroll’ng the movement stated that the pos’tion of thc owners end crews would be strengthened by the return to port of tlie remaining seven boats in the fleet. Two were expected back in tittie to unload their fiflt early tomorrow morning. Messagce had been t'ent to all of the bays around Tlau-r.-iki G'ff where anv of the<e boats might bo I’kely to cal 1 , g v.ng the erciw.s advice of the pi'-isonr position, and asking them Io return to port. Should the dispute n't bo settled, the fishermen have, decided to n-k the crews of the steam trawlers operating out of Auckland tn tie up Ihe-’r vessels too. Th's won'd. moan the cntt'ng off of the city’s ft<h supply. If the dispute continues for nnv length of fimcj it. is intended to appeai 1 to- the Governmc-nt. asking that a Comni'ssion bo set up to -nqirre : nt<> the who'e Sitato of the fishing industry. with special reference to the margin between fh<- price that is r---ce’vcd bv the fishermen and the pr'ce that is charged to the- pnbl’c by the retailors.

A day-and-night watch Ims been t-pni- ni- t!,o W'i'torn l T; aduct by the fishermen since the, boats were tied nn on Fr’dnv morning. Four-hour shifts of ten men each have been on guard tn take tho_name« and numbers of any boats that m'ght go out. No boat ntt'enrntod to leave port on Friday m'ght. hut one was gritting ready tn leave on Saturday morning when the members of the guard then on dntv wont aboard, and had a talk to the skipper. The boat fl’d not sail. To-morrow thq guards are to be doubled.

No objection has been made by the ■fishermen to the catches of the boats that arrived during the week-end being unloaded Vo-morrow, as the crews were, not in port when the “Stay Ashore” movement bevnn.