SHIPS HELD UP

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 25 August 1925, Page 5

SHIPS HELD UP

THE SYDNEY STRIKE. LOYALISTS TO BE “BLACKLEGS.” SUPPORT FROM TRANSPORTERS. BY CABLE—CRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT Received Aug 25 10.40 a.m SYDNEY, Aug.‘2s. ' A meeting of British seamen decided to declare all those members of crews not off the ships by fiv e o'clock last night “blacklegs” lor ail time, irrespective of what attitude they might later aciopt. A meeting of the transport group pledged itself to do all in its power to assist the overseas men. It recommended that no British sliix> arriving in Australia be worked till the owners acceded to their demands. The suggestion was fully discussed by Mr. Walsh, who intends to return to England and to endeavour to obtain control of the English union. In this event control of the Australian union will pass to Mr. Johansen.

POSITION IN ENGLAND

NO MEN LEAVE SHIPS

LONDON, Aug. 24. The headquarters of the Seamen’ and Iviiemen’s Union said that a1 1 ships affected by the trouble in London docks had sailed. No men had left their shins. An official of the Tilbury branch said: “Our fellows are good men, acting very decent'v, and there is nothing Bolshevik about them. —Reuter. ENGINEERED BY COMMUNISTS. PLOT AGAINST EMPIRE.

LONDON, Aug. 23. The Grantullv Castle, hitherto delayed, sailed with a full crew. At a Communist meeting a member of the strike committee prophesied a national strike to-morrow. The seamen not only insist on no reduction in wages, but also-that shipowners must concede a forty-eight- hours’ week before the resumption of work. The dock officials, on the other hand, report that the men are signing on as required. The Daily Mail, in an editorial, says that the plot against British shipping and the prosperity of the Empire has been engineered by Communist groups, linked up with the Russian Soviet. In Australia British crews are being incited and terrorised by local Communists. The Empire need not be frighted by this malignant conspiracy, but must recognise its existence and take the requisite measures to crush it. STATE PREMIERS TO CONFER. MELBOURNE, Aug. 24. The Federal Cabinet is discussing the shipping strike and the cabled appeals of the British shipowners and Mr Havelock Wilson for Government intervention. It is considered probable that the State Premiers will be summoned to a conference at Melbourne to consider what action shall be taken.

The Premier (M.r Allen) announced that Victoria would protect to the <extent, of its powers British seamen who desired to carry out their contracts and who had been unlawfully interefered with. NO CHANGE AT SYDNEY. SYDNEY, Aug. 24. A mass meeting of seamen considered the position and adjourned until Wednesday, when the waterside workers will also meet to decide what attitude to adopt. At to-day’s meeting the watersiders promised to assist the strikers. Mr Tom Walsh (secretary of the Australian Seamen’s Union), addressing the meeting, said he thought that whore ships were manned by non-union Labour in Britain, tlie Labour movement throughout Australia, should consider declaring such ships “black” immediately they touch Australia. Meantime the situation is unchanged, and vessels are still lield up. The sailing of the Orient liner Orama has been postponed indefinitely.

SHIPS IN NEW ZEALAND AFFECTED. MEN AT AUCKLAND TO' STRIKE. (BY TELF.CftAPTT PBF.SS ASSOCIATION.! AUCKLAND, Aug. 24. The British firemen and seamen in port are on strike, according to the terms of a resolution passed at a meeting to-night of one hundred seamen. The reduction of wages was discussed at length, and the following resolution was carried unanimously: "That this meeting of members of the National Federation, of the Seamen’s and Firemen’s Union of Great Britain and Ireland resents the treacherous action of the president (Mr J. Havelock Wilson) and other members of the executive of the union for agreeing to a reduction of £1 a month in our already starvation wages. Further, we insist that the rates of pay current in July last he paid to seamen in all orders, and that there he no resumption of work until these conditions are .incepted.", A representative of the local union says the strike will take effect in the morning. SHIPS ATYVELLTNGTON AFFECTED. ARAWA ’S SAILING DELAYED. WELLINGTON, Aug. 25. The British seamen’s strike is also spreading its tentacles to Wellington, and several of the Shaw, Savill lineis and the Arawa’s crew have indicated that they will refuse to go to sea. The Arawa was due to sail to-morrow. The company has nothing to say at present, except, that, the men signed, on for four rears, or the. round trip, and cannot refuse duty without bringing themselves within the scope of the law.