SHIPPING HOLD-UP.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 29 October 1925, Page 5

SHIPPING HOLD-UP.

DECLARED TO BE OFF. A NEW ZEALAND ANNOUNCEMENT. (by TELEGP.APH PRESS ASSOCIATION.! WELLINGTON, Oct. 28. On Friday last the overseas seamen agreed to hand over their dispute to the Alliance of Labour, and the alliance immediately communicated with the overseas shipping companies’ representatives and requested that a conference be held with a view to considering ways and means by which the dispute could be adjusted and the trouble terminated. A 'reply was received from the overseas shipping companies’ representatives stating- that they had already decided- their terms of settlement at the conference convened by the Prime Minister, and that no good purpose would be served by a conference with the Alliance, of Labour.

The question was considered by a meeting of the national council of the Alliance of .Labour this morning, and it was decided: “That in view of the present position of the dispute they would advise the overseas seamen to return to their ships.” This decision was placed before a meeting of seamen this afternoon and the recommendations of the council were agreed to. The recommendations of the Alliance of 'Labour are being telegraphed to the other ports of the Dominion; and in the meantime negotiations are in progress in regard to the returning of the men to their ships. COAL FOR THE MAHIA. TO BE SUPPLIED BY UNIONISTS. A 'CONTRACT THREATENED. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT RRISBAN, Oct. 28. Following interviews with union leaders by'• Mr E. G. Theodore (the ex-Premier; at Gladstone and the Premier (My W, McCormack) ati Brisbane, the anticipated coaling of the Mahia will be done- by unionists and the threatened serious trouble between them and the farmers has been overcome.

The Federal Prime Minister (Mr S. M. Bruce) wired the Premier stating that Sir Joseph Cook (Australian High Commissioner in London) had cabled that .representatives of the War Office and contractors saw him and the Queensland . Agent-General, and complained that some of the held-up meat was part of the British Government contract. Sir Joseph Cook added that such action would prejudice the contract now pending, and Argentine might secure, it if somethiiig were not done to end the hold-up.

Mr Bruce added that the Government regarded the matter as of the utmost importance to Australia. He asked) the Premier to do all possible to get the meat dispatched'. Mr McCormack, in reply, said he wouldi be glad if Mr Bruce would suggest what the Government could do any more than the Commonwealth authorities to end the trouble created, by the strike of British seamen. ANOTHER FUTILE ATTEMPT. FREMANTLE, Oct. 28. A couple of hundred str#£ers, headed by the secretary of the Seamen’s Union, took an ambulance- to the steamer Karoola for the purpose of removing from the vessel to hospital a member of the crew who was injured in connection, with the strike troubles. The police intervened and persuaded the men to abide by the decision of the three doctors called to examine the injured man. The doctors reported that he was receiving treatment equal to what he would! get in hospital. The strikers, ignoring their promise to refrain from rushing the ship, attempted to do so when the gangway was lowered for the doctors. The police and the ship’s officers ejected them. The strikers’ efforts to induce the crew of the Enton to join them proved futile.

ALL SUFFER. STRIKE AFFECTS WAGES. (BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Oct, 28. At the Harbour Board meeting tonight, the chairman said the effect, of the shipping strike on the business done at the port was strongly emphasised in the tonnage return for the month. It showed that the tonnage of trading vessels arriving was 182,341 tons, against 223,859 tons for the corresponding month last year. Departures were also greatly reduced. Imports of general cargo comprised 113,821 tons, against 153,598 last year. The wages of the men were also affected. Casual labour dropped from £4 3s a week to £1 19s 7d. All had suffered.