A GREAT STRIKE.

Hastings Standard, Issue 211, 4 January 1897, Page 3

A GREAT STRIKE.

Tin-: engineers' go <>»t

BLOCKING STEAMI'Kb IN M ELI >OIRNE.

A DETERMINED STAND ON BOTH SIDES.

(IV/ IV# >* A.-«".-»V/f/«W.—('"/</// i'jht.)

iiELHOt 'i:xk, Jan. J-J. The trouble between trie "Marino Engineers' Institute and the Owners' Association has reached an tier.to stage. I A la. eting of the Owners' Assoeia- \ tio"! yesii-rday decided to firmly resj -t the action of the engineers, and if th<-y persisted in their demands to lay up the vessels and pay off the crews. The other side express equal determination. The first blow was .struck' in connection with the Howard Smith's steamer Uarrabool. whkh was to sail for Sydney this fori noon, bur was stopped at the la - r minute, the engineers leaving in obedience to a mandate from their r.- -ociation. Similar action was taken on the I'nion Company's steamer Pateena, timed to leave for Lamiceston at y o'clock, and aKo coastal steamers. Amongst the intending pas-.engors hv tlie Pat< ona were the Gov.mors of South Australia and Tasmania. la the cases of the A.!'.S.N. Company's Cinfra. M->rranga. and I'ockon, which sailed during' the day, the engineers signed articles in Sydney and cannot leave till they reach there. At the result of an interview with the Secretary of the- Engineers' Association. Patterson and Company have egr. Ed to concede the engineers' dene: :d -. The firm only own two coiliers and are not members of the ()wners' Association. Sydnky, Jan. 55. Although the Sydney lmad-ijiiart- rs of the engineers' organisation issued instructions upon which the Melbourne branch acted no definite aggressive move has been made here. An attempt has been made to stave oil" the trouble by the president of the local .Shipowners' Association, who waited on the president of the Engineers' Association, and submitted similar terms to those rejected in Melbourne, hut met with a rei'usd to withdraw the strike notice unless the demands were granted unconditionally. The executive of the Engineers' Association met to-day and pnssed a resolution approving the stand taken in Melbourne. It is now a matter of certainty that the strike will extend to New South Wales. It is understood that it is the intention to withdraw the engineers of all steamers trading on the Australian const, failing a concession of the demands, whether they belong to the Shipowners' Association or not. A few days ago the Adelaide Steamship Comp-iny withdrew from the association, but it has not transpired whether it intends to concede the demands. Tie Engine* t*s" In u:>uc membership is about 1000, and has very large reserve funds. This day. The; engineers' strike was precipitated bv an injudicious letf r drawn up by one of the owners under the countenance of the Owners' Association. A in";- -i .<• of •• Stand and deliver" order. The engineers at once n - sited and struck immediately. The President of the Steamship Owners' Association states that, as a proof of their /eV.v, the owners iiitiinated their willingness to increase the wages, which are already the highest in the world, and had even conceded 21 hour;" notice before the demand. Beyond this, however, the owners would not go. It: trtietioi. - have • n i -• <- <I to the engineers of the various cohmii s. with the eveption of New Zealand, to adopt the time-measure which had been put into practice in Victoria.