THE WAIPORI HOLD-UP.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 9 July 1925, Page 5

THE WAIPORI HOLD-UP.

A NEW DEVELOPMENT.

(BY TELEGRAPH. PRESS ASSOCIATION.) GREYMOUTH, July 8.

A new and more serious development occurred to-night in the dispute whim, originated oil Thursday last over a demand for two trimmers for the Sydney voyage by the steamer stokehold crew, five out of six of whom are now imprisoned for refusing to sail until their demand was conceded. To replace them the Union Company on Tuesday landed here six firemen from Wellington, but these, soon after arrival intimated unwillingness to do what the previous firemen had refused. To-night a mass meeting of firemen and seamen in port was held on the matter. There was an attendance. <>- sixty.men. The local Seamen’s Union representative, ‘ Mr. Kirk, who presided, detailed the facts of the trouble, reading telegrams from the Seamen’s Union secretary (Mr. Young), one intimating that a stop-work meeting had resolved on the recall of the' six firemen sent, and another directing then not to sign on. Mr. Kirk had replied to Mr. Young’s query stating that the imprisoned firemen would rejoin the Waipori if the trimmers were supplied, also that a report of the men’s release was untrue. Mr. Young advised later that no other sliio would he involved, and that the union executive to-morrow would consider the position. The feeling of the meeting was strongly voiced that if instead of providing? trimmers the Union Company should send here a permanent gang to work the Waipori, a decided stand should be taken by all present.