NOT TO YIELD

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 28 August 1925, Page 5

NOT TO YIELD

ADVICE FROM ENGLAND. POSITION IN AUSTRALIA. 3000 MEN STILL IDLE IN SYDNEY. BY CABLE —PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPI BIGHT .; ' SYDNEY, Aug. 27. A break in the strikers’ ranks is indicated by the sailing of tlie Line Funnel liner Autoilycuis, which unexpectedly departed to-day for northern ports. The Oversea Skipping Representatives’ Assocdiaition has been advised by British .Shipowners that, all rates and wages 'having been constitutionally tixed through the National Maritime Board, the British owners definitely declined to concede to the (strikers’ demands. The Lord Mayor has convened a public meeting for Alonda.y next to dismiss the strike.

Air. Tom Walsh, (secretary of the Australian Seamen’s Union) interviewed the Prime .Minister (Mr. J. T. Lang) and dismissed the position. Air. Jiang refused to intake a statement to the Press.

In a istaiteinent defining the Government’© attitude towards the request of the Federal Premier (Air. S. Ai. Bruce) for co-operation in dealing with the shipping strike, Air. Lang said when Air. Bruce asked that protection be afforded seamen who desired to work British vessels, he was .surprised at the request, ia),y there was not the slightest lawlessness in the State. Referring to the deportation clause, of the Immigration Act, Air. Lang said he regarded it as one ol the most iniquitous Acts ever passed in any country, and he would firmly refuse to penult tlie State li instrumentalities to be abused for the puipo.se of deporting political or industrial leadens. There was no need for the Federal Government, in the pursuance qI its deportation policy, to invoke the assistance of any State Government. He had no desire to embroil New South Wales in any deportation proceedings, lie was prepared to see that the 1 awis of the Commonwealfili and New South Mules should be observed, but lie was not prepared to identify New South V\ ales or the Labour Parity with lanv Nationali.sit latteunipt 'to -deport its political and industrial opponents. ■ So far nearly three thousand .seamen have been rendered' idle. The executive of the Watensiide Workers-’ Federation decided to financially assist the strikers. A message from AleLbourne says the Australian Railways Union decided that, while the union was not concerned in the seamen’s ©trike, railwaymen would refuse to handle trains for the purpose of deporting unionists. The Federal officials of tlie Marine Stewards’ Union haw instructed that members .should not become involved in the seamen's dispute at present. It is unofficMly stated in Alelbourne that if no drtnstic action is taken the shipping crisis may be overcome. Speaking at a meeting of the Federal Nationalist Party, Air. Bruce said the present inaction was not due to a. desire to bad-: down, but to -a reasonable desire to .study the constitutional position and the .probable effects of any attempts to util'iwe the powers conferred on the Government by the Immigration Act. He added that he had not yet replied to tlie cable went by the South African Premier (General Hertzog). Interviewed, Mr. Bruce refused io say whether a deportation board had yet been appointed, but it is known that Cabinet bail .already tentatively agreed to the personnel. iNo announeeinent will be made until the .summonses left in Sydney by tlie Federal Solici-tor-General are served. AFRICAN STEADIER HELD UP. CAPETOWN, Aug. 26. The steamer Sa.n.dgate Castle is wtill held up. J.t -is rumoured that the trouble has spread to the mail-boat Balmorfal Castle, wlhich is due to sail tomorrow. Both the whipping companies and tlie officials of the Seamen's Union are-reticent aw to the position.

ADVICE OF OWNERS

AIR.. HAVELOCK WILSON’S

AIESSAGE,

BLAMES COMMUNISTS FOR. TROUBLE.

LONDON, A»is. 26. The -ship-ownier® 'hare cabled their re'•speotive 'agents in Australia that they ■ must not yield to the seamen>s de-

' inlands'. Mr. Cathery, the seamen’s general secretary, interviewed, welcomed the announcement that Mr. Tom Walsh (secretary of the Australian Seamen's Union) projjKused to' come to England for the puPjiase of smashing Mr. /"Havelock Willson’-- union. He gave I Mr. Walsh credit for taking himself ‘«oriousiv, but il lie dared tackle Mr. Havelock Wilson, on -his native heath, he would get the surprise of his life. It was admitted that Mr. Walsh might, detach, some' malcontents, of whom 'ii considerable percentage was inevitable in -any organisation numbering 70,000, but he predicted a fiasco simiiil'a.r to tho Southaiiiipton session a few years ago. He emphasised that the present wages agreement had not only been confirmed, firstly, by the executive council of the union, and secondly, bv seventy-two branches, hut. also, by the Ships’ Off iters’ Union, representing the engineers, shipwrights, (mil boiler-makers. < ; Mr. Havelock Wilson, from on board the Emigres® of Scotland in mid-Al-lianbic, wirelessed a message to Tho Times to the trade unionists ol Australia.. Flo says: “Fellow trade iinionists—Tlie .action of Messrs Walsh and Johan risen in ipmmiotting trouble on -British '.ship's in Australian ports is a 'non-union Ist move, the object being to promote.. Cornimiuistic principles. 1 hey (i.no anxious to destroy trade unionism. Mr. Walsh is foolish enough to believe it is. possible to establish .something near the Atastrahan rates in the United Kingdom, ports. Thi«s would be possible but for the low wages paid in foreign ships coining to British ports, ft is uttange that Mr. Walsh anti company tlo not try hits game on foreign, ships, which are operating oil 50 per pent, lower wages than British ships. hilst hundreds of Our ships a,re idle, foreign ship® are carrying 60 per cent, of our cargoes. . . , • ‘T trust Australian trade unionists will Advise British seamen not to be misled by the bmieome of Messrs Walsh and Johann sen. Non-un.ion.isDS, cssisted by Communists in England, are the people who are making the trouble. They are not fighting for better wage®. Their policy is to get the union men out of the ships -so as to obtain the union .men’s places and Wages. I dealt with such men for nearly forty years. I know their ways Hud cannot be deceived. “Trade unionists have only to remember that over fifty thousand union

men accepted the new rates. They see two foreign vessels loading in our poults every day for every British fhip, aimtl hundred® of pp-ta-diaite British f /blips idle, and thousand® of British officers and men unemployed. It appears to me as though Mr. Walsh and (.•omfljfa.ny want to devsltroy British pi no- Who will taro for our British seamen if Mr. Walsh and company accomplish their object