INDUSTRIAL STRIFE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 264, 27 October 1911, Page 5

INDUSTRIAL STRIFE.

SYDNEY WHARF LABOURERS. •'INDI STRIAL BLACKMAILERS." SUGG ESTI-. 1) PROSEt' U TION. [PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT.] Sydney. Oct. 26. The strikers are restless owing to the deep sea men working while they are idle. They state that the deep sea men were with them in the voting to cease work, but are not giving them practical support. This will possibly lead to a split in ihe ranks and the formation of a separate union for deep sea workers. The companies would welcome such an arrangement. Clerks and seamen continue to handle perishables,’including a Tasmanian cargo of 600 bags of potatoes. At present the carters have raised no objections to handling such goods. A deputation of merchants waited on Mr. Carmichael and suggested prosecuting the strikers. He replied that the men were working under a Federal agreement, and it was therefore largely a Federal matter. Nevertheless the Government was doing its utmost, and he hoped soon to have something favourable to report. The strike is disorganising trade, especially in the forage markets. No interstate chaff.has been landed for a week. The union officials state that they lo not consider it likely that the deep sea men will demand an increase if the ir.ter-Statc demands are conceded. The question was never mooted at any mccling. Meloourne, Oct. 26. A compulsory conference met and discussed the men's refusal to accept rhe Executive’s advice, but dissolved, neither side having any proposal lo overcome the difficulty in order to confine the area of dispute as much as possible. Another conference will be summoned between the represen tatives of the Waterside Workers’ Federation and the Steamship Owners’ Federation in other ports. NO SUPPORT AT HOBART. (Rcceivi d 27, 10.30 .i.iii I Hobart. Oct. 27. Tn? wharf labourers meeting de •ided that the Sydney men bad broken t'nii- agreement therefore liey could not support them. BECOMING MORE SERIOUS. SHIPS WILL BE LAID UP. (Received 27, 11.10 a.m.) Sydney, Oct. 27. The effects of the strike are gradually widening and becoming more serious. The Inter-State Coastal Co.’s wharves at present have a deserted appearance, and several company’s gates and premises are wholly or partially closed. The strike is conducted quietly on both sides. The companies state it is their intention to keep the existing staffs and wharf hands employed, but they will engage no outside labour. The Poqlana has finished leading, and sailed for Newcastle. She was to have departed for Hobart on M ednesday, but it is expected she wil] not get away before Monday. The Mocraki, after visiting Newcastle for coal, returned to Sydney with her whole cargo still aboard, excepting the horses and a quantity of perishables which were unloaded on her arrival. The balance of the cargo is being unloaded by her own crew, assisted by the officers and crew of the Whakatipu. It is doubtful if she will be able to leave for New Zealand to-morrow. No cargo is being taken on. Sussex Street merchants and salesmen are unloading the Kakapo’s cargo of Tasmanian potatoes, and other companies are doing their best with available halids to handle perishable cargoes. In all probability a number of vessels will be laid up unless a speedy settlement is arrived at. Mr. Hughes and the president and seerctary of the Wharf Labourers’ Union arrive from Melbourne to-day.

A STRIKE AT HULL. UNIONISTS REFUSE TO WORK WITH NON-UN lONISTS. (Received 27, 8.5 a.m.) London, Oct. 26. Two tliousand oil mill workers have struck at Hull, the masters demanding that unionists and non-unionists shall work together. At present they arc not considering the demand for increased wages. The railway companies complying with the pledges are prepared to give effect to the Commission’s recommendations, but it is impossd)l( to carry them out without, the coopi rot ’(m of the men, whom they thought were similarly pledged. (Received 27, 9.35 a.m.) l/’adon. Ott. 26. Thorne ami some ml::;- Labout leaders urge [he railway men It give the I'enunilrerommeiida-li-ms a fair trial. Mr. Buxton presided :i.‘ Hie first mccling < f the 1 im 1 usi.ri:' 1 Council. FLAM EX’S MAGES. (Received 27, 9.35 a.m.) London, Get. 26. As the _ result (f tb.e late strike Cardiff seamen's wages were in. •reased 30 - monthly. Shipowner: have now tendered notice M U’ - reduction. EFFECT OF STRIKE IN NEW ZEALAND. I I’lUl PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington. Oct. 26. The strike of wharf labourers at Sydney is seriously affecting the New Zealand merchants. as :s seen in the fact that no cargo of any description 's io be shipped by tb.e Moana. which s to sail fl-mil Wellington at 5 p.m. , t || !( iri'i >u for Sy < I) 11 direct. 'lhe : ;|! present 111 Ly t I ell oil. i mt no .-argo for Aust l alia has been Loaded at any of the Southern ports

either, apart from the passengers’ and whatever bunker coal she may carry. The Moana will thus lie an empty ship, a unique happening for the weekly Sydney to Wellington service. THE VICTGRIA'S (.ARGO, Auckland. Oc. 27. Inquiry made by the waterside workers whether the steamer Victoria had any cargo loaded by nonunionists atSydncy elicited the reply >y cable that the only cargo i-s two tons of periodicals which the steamer’s crew were able to handle. N.Z. COASTAL MATES. PORTS THAT FEEL THE PINCH. 'Wellington, Oct. 26. There seems a probability of some of the smaller steamers which are now tied up resuming their running, at any rate in the Nelson trade. Wanganui traders are feeling the severity of the present railway rate® for cargo compared with the steamer carriage. Some of them, it is understood, have offered to pay the shipowners increased rates of freight if the officers’ demands are acceded to. There is something more than talk of chartering a steamer to be run on the lines demanded by the Merchant Service Guild. The secretary of the guild, Captain Watson, has been interviewed to that end, hut no intimation of the. guild’s reception of or reply to the proposal is available. The Shipowners’. Federation is meeting daily to consider the present state of affairs.

From an official of the federation it was gathered that several of the “small ship” conipatifes concerned have had intimations from a number of the masters and officers of their vessels that the Merchant Service Guild has been notified that the masters and men propose to resume work under the present conditions pending the result of the ballot now being taken in connection with the dispute between the officers in the Union, Maoiiland, AVestport and Blackpool companies. On receipt of this information the Shipowners’ Federation agreed that Air. Rogers, manager for the Anchor Line, Nelson, should wait upon the guild to discuss the position with its members to see if some arrangements .•ould be made for running stimiD boats pending the result of ballot. Mr. Rogers accordingly saw Captain Waisou. and was subsequently advised that a meeting of the guild had decided that if any master or officer resumed work under the conditions suggested he would do so against the wishes ot the guild. The shipowners to-day considered the guild's decision in the matter, and one result of the deliberation would seem to be, as a number of masters and officers are loyal to the owners, that several of' the small steamers will probably resume run-

ning. Captain Watson left for Auckland to-day to attend a Conciliation Council meeting there in connection with she dispute between the owners and masters and mates employed on the vessels on the Auckland registry. From Nelson it is learned that the Anchor Line masters and officers have telegraphed to Captain Watson to the effect that as they cannot afford to remain idle any longer they oropose to again start work and to continue until the I nion Company s and other large shipowners’ dispute with the officers had been settled. They also added that they were strongly of opinion that both themselves and the Anchor Company were being unfairly’ treated, in. that the Union Company was allowed to continue running its steamers under the old conditions, while a. ballot was being taken and until the result was nade known, and yet the Anchor Company s fleet was held up on a moment’s notice. It is understood (hat this communication to the guild was signed by ten of the masters and officers of the Anchor Line.

Mr. Spence. Captain M’atson’s locum tenens, when seen by a reporter to-day. described the owners as playing the “game of bluff. There were owners who were telling their men that other owners weie proposing to resume running, so leading them to believe that the boats would start again. There was lothing of the sort done. As far as the .Anchor Line masters’ and officers’ telegram was concerned that ,vas merely a tentative proposal to ascertain what, the gu-ild thought about it. The guild had replied. The ■non did not- sav that they actually would turn to again. “We are uqite alive to what the owners are doing,” Mr. Spence added, “but we believe they will fail.”