SHIPPING HOLD UP

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 1 October 1925, Page 5

SHIPPING HOLD UP

ORDERED BY MOSCOW.

DIRECTED AGAINST BRITAIN. UNION LEADER’S VIEWS. BY CABLE —PBESS ASSOCIATION —COPY BIGHT. i*: Received Oct. 1, 12.5 p.m. - LONDON, Sept. 30. Mr. Havelock Wilson, in an interview, said lie was positive that Moscow had ordered the strike, which was directed entirely against Britain’s overseas trade. He had discovered that the Reds’ activities in America and Canada also were solely against Britain. Curiously German, Greek and other European shipping which was paying half the British wages, had been left completely alone. Strike leaders like Larkin, Hardy and Quinlan visited Moscow two or three times w'ithin three years as guests of the Soviet Government. * Presumably they did not return empty handed. Mr. Walsh kneiv by the middle of July that the British wage reduction was imminent and he called the first strike meeting in Sydney on August 38. Why the delay? The inference is that he awaited instructions from elsewhere. The Beds failed in 1931 to disrupt the American /seamen's union and isinee then they have- consistently attacked the British Union. They persuaded many seamen on the Australian boats to discontinue their, payments to the British union. That was the reason there were «o ,many. non-unionists among the British strikers in Australia. It would be interesting to know who was supplying their strike pay.—Sydney Sun Cable. LONDON, Sept. 29. An authoritative source states that ► the seamen’s strike was directly ordered from Moscow, through paid agents in Britain, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Canada. Political propaganda having failed to disrupt the Empire, Moscow’s autocrats ’ blotted a deliberate economic and commercial blow. When Trotsky returned to power Moscow realised the necessity for developing Russian internal sources by greater exports abroad, through the All Russia-Co-operative Societies. Before 1914 Britain Avas one of Russia’s chief markets. Her currency and credit to-day is the soundest in Europe, but the after-war sA\ r ing towards Empire trade development seemed likely to close the markets to Russia; therefore Trotsky conceived the plan of smashing - the neAV Anglo-Dominions tradd extensions, aiming at what he hoped would be- a paralysing blow at British shipping. He previously sent a trading mission to Britain, ostensibly to place orders with manufacturers and persuade Co-operative- Wholesale Societies to buy big quantities of Avheat.

The informant, who is in the closest touch with Moscow, declares that the Red leaders no longer represent the trade unions. They have become the workers’ industrial and financial bosses, exploiting their folloAversthrough a huge trust known as the All Russian, Co-operative Societies, exporting paid agents to Britain and the Dominions to become similar bosses in their own countries.

POSITION .IN AUSTRALIA. FARMERS WOULD WORK VESSELS SYDNEY, Sept. 30. The general president of the Watersiders’ Federation stated that his organisation had- not deltoered an ultimatum to the Government in connection with the abolition and, casual water si ders’. unions. He added that negotiations Avith'the NeAveastle Company-, had been proceeding ever since the last strike settlement, and the Avatersiders’ Federation Avas quite satisfied with .the progress the Qoa*ernment Avas ma'king towards a settlement of their grievance. At the Deportation Board the Crown case against Tom Walsh closed. Mr. Watts .stated that as neither Mr. S. M. Bruce (Federal Premier) nor Mr. G. F. Pearce (a Federal Minister) had attended the board, he woud ask the board to sign two subpoenas calling them to attend. Argument on the application had not concluded.

Melbourne, advises that the Orvieto has sailed for Sydney. The passengers were taken on hoard by a ferry vessel, having-moved from the pier early in the morning. The move completely surprised the strikers, the leaders of whom state that twenty-two members of the crew remained on shore, and telegrams have been sent to Sydney urging the Watersiders’ Federation to declare', the. r-Orvieto “black” on account of the shortage of crew. Advice from Melbourne states that only one member of the crew of the Orvieto openly refused to obey orders. He was sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment and ordered to forfeit seven .days’ pay.

Thirteen stewards from the Ascanius at Adelaide, who were last week sentenced to fourteen days’ imprisonment, intimated that they would return to work unconditionally. They were .released and returned to the vessel.

A meeting at Brisbane of farmers affected by the hold-up at northern ports decided that in times of a strike, instead of allowing produce to rot, the farmers themselves should work both the wharves and the ships.

SERIOUS POSITION. HOLD-UP OF PRODUCE. WELLINGTON, Sept, 30. Delegates from the National Dairy Association waited upon the Chamber of Commerce, calling attention to the serious position due to the hold-up of large quantities of New Zealand produce by the shipping strike. Mr. J. T. Martin pointed: out that banks and institutions would hesitate to advance further. money on produce when it was not being shipped. The serious position was generally realised, and the following resolutions were passed : “That this chamber appreciates the action of the Government in its efforts to eeect a settlement in its efforts to effect a settlethe event of no settlement being reached, pledges its support to whatever action the Government considers necessary to work the idle steamers.” “That all the parties interested in overseas shipping be immediately requested to nominate delegates, who shall attend at short notice any meeting that may be necessary in future.”

MORE SEAMEN BEFORE THE COURT. AUCKLAND, Sept. 30. Sixteen seamen from the steamer Waimsfria- and three from the Matakana ivere charged in the Police Court

t-o-day with combining to neglect duty. The cases were adjourned- for a week, pending a conference in Wellington between the Prime Minister and the seamen. HORORATA BEING LOADED. CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 30. The Hororata, which lias been idle at Lyttelton for some weeks owing to trouble with the seamen, is now taking in cargo.