FOR AN EMERGENCY

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 26 September 1925, Page 5

FOR AN EMERGENCY

MAINTAINING SUPPLIES ORGANISATION PREPARING. ALL SERVICES COVERED. B* CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPY HIGH! (Received Sep. 26, 10.25 a.in.) LONDON, Sep. 23. The new association of volunteers that is being enrolled will be known as an organisation for the maintenance of supplies;. The age limit of men for protective purposes will be fixed at 45. Registration is proceeding of men intimate wtih omnibus, tube, tramway, railway, and electrical structures, motor lorry drivers, motor cyclists, and messengers to assist in the event of a postal breakdown, also those of unclassified occupations, such as clerks and hospital assistants. Registration provides to undertake when an. emergency arises to act under the direction of the organisation in maintaining and protecting public services, and if required to enrol as special constables. — A. and N.Z. Assn. LONDON, Sept. 24. An influential organisation lias been formed under the presidency of Lord Hardi nge and a. council including Lords Jellicoe, Ranfurly, Scarborough and Falkind and Sir Rennell Rodd, with the object of establishing a country-wide system of volunteers to maintain the supplies of vital services in the eevent of general strike. The system has already been partly developed in London Sir Rennell Rodd, interviewed, declared that organisation was nonparty, non-political, unpaid and not formed for the purpose of opposing legitimate trade union activities, but to prevent severe privation, to the mass of the people, who have no direct part in the actual dispute. He added that the Government had been informed of what they were trying to do and in the event of an emergency the whole organisation would he placed at the hands of the authorities.

NEGOTIATION DEADLOCK. APPEAL FOR! FUNDS FOR STRIKERS. SYDNEY, Sept. 25. Striking seamen numbering 133 were sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment. While a. deadlock was reached in the negotiations for a settlement of the (strike, moderate Labour circles consider the conference might be resumed if the strikers waive two clauses of their terms, one of which dissociates the strikers from the National Sailors’ and Firemen’s Union, and the other states that the final agreement must lie- entered into by the strike committee and the Australian Seamen’s Union on the one hand and the. owners’ representatives on the other. The owners’ representatives refuse to recognise the Australian Seamen’s Union as being concerned in the strike and decline to negotiate with them. t Members of the Commonwealth M Labour Council are remaining in SydjflLv 'ney awaiting c!|eve,lopments, in' the hope that a further move will he made for a settlement. An urgent appeal for funds to assist the striking seamen has been issued. '1 he Labour Council instructs all unions to levy members at the rate of 11 per cent of their weekly earnings. A" Melbourne message states that the Orient ‘Company announces that the Orvieto is calling at Adelaide and then Alelbourne. Sue will probably discharge her Victorian passengers and cargo from, ail anchorage, in an attempt to check propaganda amongst the crew. The snipping companies regard the Orvieto as a test ship. If she is held up they -will probably put into operation their threat to curtail sailings to Autralia and New Zealand from London. The Victorian executive of the Watersiders’ Federation has received instructions from the Federal Council at Sydney that the Orvieto must be worked on her arrival at Alelbourne. The Deportation Hoard has resumed its sittings, which so far are costing £‘3oo daily.

EFFECT ON PRODUCE. MAy BE SERIOUS IN AUSTRALIA. SYDNEY, Sept. 24. Mr. Graham, chairman or the Sydney centre of the national council of the Wool Selling Brokers of Australia, referring to the effect of the strike, said: “If the strike is going to continue, when the whole wool clip is on f the market the work of getting the wool shipped with the usual expedition will be extremely difficult, if not actually impossible, and under such circumstances the continuance of sales will lie imperilled. With the sales stopped the stores will soon fill, and the time will come when the wool will •have to he held on the station . until tjhe machinery (can be figoij moving again.” The general manager of the Coastal Farmers’ Co-operative Society, referring of the effect on the dairying industry. said the hold-up occurring at the beginning of the export season was -appalling. For several years after the-war dairy farmers had had a bad time, both in relation to the increased cost of production and the uncertain seasons and marketing prospects oversea. This season .it was absolutely necessary to re-establish the industry upon a sounder basis. His considered opinion was that dairymen were ready to make some move towards enforcing the transport or their goods oversea. POSITION OF DAIRY COMPANIES NEIEP FOR PRUDENCE. A (suggestion made that, owing to the shipping strike, companies in some eases had experienced difficulty in financing advances on produce has no foundation, because companies do not need to wait until produce is shipped. They secure advances wider 'let-tens or credit against butter and cheese in cool istore. While this is the case, it . may nob he out of place to suggest that, if the strike continues, there may very easily he trouble caused to eomipamelk, and it was remarked to a Star reporter to-day by a- main of great experience in the (industry, and one who is keenly interested, that he was amazed, the general body of producers were not showing m more lively interest in. the position. Jib certainly is fraught' with possibilities of serious trouble, and producers generally would be well advised to realise this and to waitch the developments very closely.