THE SEAMEN'S STRIKE

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXIX, Issue 4731, 10 August 1935, Page 5

THE SEAMEN'S STRIKE

WANGANELLA NOW INVOLVED. TRAWLER AS MAIL CARRIER. (Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received 9.40 a.m.) Sydney, this day. Last night at sea the crew of the Wanganella notified the captain that they would tie up the vessel in Sydney on Sunday. For the first time in Australian marine history a • trawler became a mail steamer, the Alfie Cam leaving Sydney last night with a hundred bags of mail for New Zealand and flying the Royal Mail pennant. The Alfie Cam was only .seven miles out when a steam pipe blew out and she was forced to return, but sailed again later. It is expected that she will reach New Zealand in five days. The postal officials stated that the trawler was used because she would be in New Zealand before any of the regular liners. This shipping dispute occurred, states a Melbourne message, over the sum of £lO, which the Seamen's Union says should have been distributed among 25 members of the crew of the Murada as overtime and deferred sailing-time pay. When the Company declined to pafy the crew refused to obey orders, and were dismissed and given endorsed discharges. - ' When a man presenting a Murada certificate was rejected for employment in Sydney on the Zealandia, this vessel was held up, and the Murada is now also tied up at Melbourne. A statement from the Australian Steamship Owners' Federation alleged that the Union is resorting to an illegal action in its claims, a disinct breach of agreement, which provides that all disputes be referred to the Board of Conciliation.