Becoming More Serious

Northern Advocate, 14 August 1935, Page 7

Becoming More Serious

THE SHIPPING STRIKE

FURTHER SHIPS IDLE OVERTIME CLAIMS DISMISSED. OTHER COMPANIES INVOLVED. i [United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph. — Copyright .’] (Received 11.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The shipping strike has assumed mere serious proportions.. There ai’e now 15 ships affected, rendering idle over 1000 men;. The strike has developed so quickly that fears are now held that the entire interstate, shipping trade may be brought to a standstill at an early date. The dismissal by the Central Summons Court yesterday afternoon of the claims of three men, formerly employed on the steamer Murada, for overtime further involved the situation. The claims totalled £1 3/4 for overtime payments alleged to be du,e, because of the failure of the freighter Murada fo leave Port Kembla on time on June 22.. Counsel for .the company disputed the right of the men to the claimed. The defence was that the Murada - was unavoidably delayed owing to the failure of the cargo to arrive in time. For that, it was contended* the owners of the vessel could not be responsible. Overtime could be claimed only under a special clause in the men’s agreement of 1935. ? The magistrate upheld, the objection ■and dismissed the claim.; Federal Action. Four additional ships, belonging to three companies not previously involved in the trouble have been rendered idle. The vessels in question are the Colonial , Sugar Company’s Fiona, the Adelaide Steam Ship Company’s Mundala, Mcllwraith, McEarchern and Company’s Katoomba, and the Union Company’s Koranui. The crews of aIL these gave 24 hours’ notice; No men. offered today for the Qrungal, the crew of which had quit. She was scheduled to leave tonight for Queensland ports. Another effort to obtain a crew is to be made tomorrow. A mass meeting of seamen is to be held tomorrow when the moderates, it is reported, will make an attempt to effect a settlement. The disputes committee of the Trades Hall Council will also consider , the, situation. A message from Melbourne says the passenger steamer Dimbula and the freighters Colac and Goulburn were tied up today. The Yarra will be involved tomorrow. Opposition by Stewards, The Marine Stewards Union hotly opposes the strike, and intends to do its best to bring about a speedy settlement. A committee of the Federal Cabinet met in Sydney today and considered the strike from the point of view that all hope of a settlement in a normal way is abandoned. The acting Federal Attorney-General, Mr T. Brennan, at the conclusion of the meeting, said the Government had considered the courses open to- it in. the. event of a continuance of the trouble, blit hoped that before it adopted the measures at Tis disposal—which it desired to avoid —the seamen would take immediate steps in the direction of a settlement. Mr Brennan added that the Cabinet committee had been in telephonic communication -With the Prime Minister Mr J. A; Lyons,’ in ■ regard to today’s deliberations, which ■ would be continued at Canberra tomorrow, when almost a full; meeting . .would review the position. Mr Forbes Anxious to Leave. . The Prime Minister of New Zealand, Mr G. W. Forbes, Mrs Forbes and Mr. C. A. Jeffrey, Mr Forbes’ private, secretary, are making the best of their enforced stay in Sydney', owing to the shipping hold-up... When they learned there was no hope of the Wangariella sailing today they went on a motor car trip to the Blue Mountains, in ideal weather. The visitors saw the . sights of Katoomba and returned to Sydney this evening. Mr Forbes said he had had a most interesting’ outing. However, he was most anxious to get home. He will attend no further; official gatherings in Australia. *