TROUBLE WITH SEAMEN

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 30 December 1927, Page 9

TROUBLE WITH SEAMEN

BREWING IN AUSTRALIA. TWO DISPUTES OCCUR. OWNERS’ FIRM STAND. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. Received 11.50 a.m. to-day. SYDNEY, Dec. 30. In accordance with the usual procedure, the entire crew of the steamer Moreton Bay was signed off at the conclusion of engagements. All hands were re-engaged except 60 stewards, who refused to serve the regatta luncheon on Monday and were dismissed.

The stewards subsequently held, a meeting, at which it was decided to make representations to have the men reinstated.

Officials of the union interviewed the management, but the demand for reinstatement was refused. A member of the Commonwealth Shipping Board stated that if other stewards refused to offer for engagement to-day the directors would haveno option but- to pay off the crew and lay the vessel up. Trouble has arisen out of the decision of the seamen to hold a stopwork meeting on Wednesday without the sanction of the owners. Under the Navigation Act it is provided that men absent from a ship without leave shall have two days’ pay deducted from their wages, and the owners arc taking steps to enforce that provision. Eight members of the crew of the Australian United Steam Navigation Company’s steamer Mackarra gave notice on Wednesday and left the vessel vesterdav. There was no response to the call for men to fill the- vacancies, and a further call will be made to-day. Then, if the members of the Seamen’s Union still refuse to offer, the remainder of the crew will be paid l off and the Mackarra laid up indefinitelv.