STEWARDS' STRIKE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 17 December 1920, Page 5

STEWARDS' STRIKE.

IBY CABI-E—FEESS ASSOCIATION-COEYEIGHT

SYDNEY, Dec. 16. • lhe crews of the steamers Ulimaroa and Zealandia have been paid off. The Maheno and Niagara were due to leave ! to-morrow, fully booked with passengers., many for the Davis Cup match. A suggestion has been made that the stewards' vacancies in the former! •should be filled by New Zealanders to -enable the vessel to sail, as half the -stewards belong to New Zealand, but the firemen state that if the proposal is carried out they will refuse to sail. The position is likely to become more serious than was anticipated, as the Transporters 5 Federation, embracing 40,000 workers, will support the stewards, and the coalminers are sympathetic. The Federal secretary of the Stewards Union has announced that the men will give notice and leave the ships as the. vessels arrive at ports •throughout the Commonwealth. Hobart reports that there is evidence that the strike was planned some time ;ago, for the seamen openly boasted- ' Watch December 16" during the past The hold-up and isolation of "Tasmania has caused consternation, as this is the third year the Christmas ■tpunst r season has been dislocated, resulting in great loss. A representative public meeting decided to ask Mr Jiughes to commandeer the steamer Loongana, and so maintain communica- • tion with the mainland.