SEAMEN’S STRIKE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 17 November 1922, Page 5

SEAMEN’S STRIKE

DEVELOPMENT AT DUNEDIN WATERSIDERS REFUSE TO BIS CHARGE KATOA

(United Press Association. >

DUNEDIN, This Day There was a shipping trouble development when a call was made to discharge the Katoa’s Auckland cargo, the wateraiders refusing to handle it. The Kini arrived early from Gisborne. It is understood the crew will leave the ship to-day. Watersiders refuse also to work her and the Kamo.

A further call will be made for labour at one o’do ck. The Katoa was the first free labour ship arriving here,

LABOUR DEPARTMENT MAKING INQUIRIES

WELLINGTON. Nov. 16

The Labour Department is making inquiries whether the action of the seamen jn leaving their ships constitutes a breach of the Arbitration Act.

FREE LABOUR SHIPS

NO OBJECTION BY WATERSIDERS

WELLINGTON, This Day.

Watersiders are offering no objection to working cargo of free labour ships. Jt is reported that when it was decided that the seamen should leave their ships the Seamen’s Union asked the Wateraiders’ Federation to ensure its'members would not strike.

POSITION EASING AT WELLINGTON

UARGO BEING' HANDLED FREELY

WELLINGTON, This Day. The port is busier than for several days. Only three or four of the ■vessels are . idle, cargo being handled freely. Ihe wharves are now fitted with strong timber barriers, blocking the wharf thoroughfare to the Queen’s Wharf, where work is concentrated and only approachable through the main gates, and admission here requires a permit. jThe Ferry Wharti is occupied by the Union Company’s steamers and similarly guarded.

BN AUSTRALIA MEETING OF SEAMEN

,1 B » Electric Telegraph,—Copyright.) (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.)

SYDNEY, Nov. 16 Members of the Seamen’s Union marched in a body to a mass meeting to discuss the jposition which has arisen through the New Zealand trouble. The hall was packed. The press were haired. The meeting _ lasted three hours, and there were indications that the men Verejn an angry mood. The only information* given was a statement by Mr Walsh, President of the Seamen’s Union at) the close of the meeting that a resolution Was carried, protesting Against what was described as vindictive sentences on the Mbcraki’s crew. He said that as to whether other ships will be manned dr hot, time alone will tell. , There is a rumour* current in the city that a proposal is afoot to declare the Union Company’s fleet, including vessels : engaged on the Australian coast and the Tasmanian trade, “black.”

It is reported that a cable has been received in Sydnpy from the Now Zealand Seamen’s Union, advising that official opinion in the Dominion is that the Moeraki’s firemen should have waited until they reached the home port and had their alleged grievances considered there.

, It is officially stated that the Company’s offer of'mediate re-employment lor the Moeraki’s imprisoned men remains good. The remainder of the Moeraki’s crew, who are on the New Zealand articles, have not yet been paid off..

. A heavy New Zealand mail was placed aboard the Waiwera at Newcastle to-day. The Kauri, which also shipped mails, has not yet sailed. It is hoped both will get away to-night or to-morrow. MELBOURNE, Nov. 16 The Paloona position is unchanged and the Orvieto trouble is settled. The Seamen’s Union claims a victory in establishing the principle that overseas Steamers cannot carry passengers on the Australian coast unless the crew are paid the Australian rates of wages. MELBOURNE, This Day The Ortfieto’s crew has resumed and the ship sailed for Sydney.

UNION BOATS

MAY BE DECLARED “BLACK”

SYDNEY, Nov. 16

Though no official information is forthcoming, a good authority supports the . statement that the seamen’s meeting decided to declare the Union Company’s vessels “black” and that none of its vessels would be manned until the crews of the Moeraki and Waikawa had been released. Two of the Company’s steamers whose crews are on the Australian articles left on the Tasmanian run to-night. __ . Trouble is expected in conectioa with the Whangape, ariving from New Zealand to-morrow.

Tho Ulimaroa continues booking paseengers and expects to get away on Saturday. ~. . Up to a late hour neither the Kauri nor Waiwera had sailed from Newcastle, though the Kauri cleared tho customs ready (to depart.

SERIOUS EFFECTS

SYDNEY, This Day. It transpires that at the seamen’s meeting a proposal v?as submitted in favour of approaching The Minister of Justice with a view to obtaining a remission of the sentences on the Moeraki and Waikawa men. The president of the Seamen’s Union opposed it on the ground that they could not expect redress, as the men pleaded guilty. The motion was rejected. It was further decided that the executive bo given powei; to see that the jnon still aboard the Moeraki were not repatriated to their homoxport. The supposed object of this is to put the Company to the expense of maintaining the men on the ship while in Australian waters. y It was announced that-no authentic information had been received fiom New Zealand regarding the situation there. Union officials advised ,tbe meeting that it would be disastrous to Australian seamen if they were involved in a general strike at the present time. The decision reached to hold up the Union Company’s vessels will have serious effects on the Tasmanian-trans-Pacific, as well as the Austra-lian-New Zealand trade,

HAURAKi’S MEN REFJJEE DUTY

MELBOURNE, This Day. The crew' of the Union i Company’g Hauraki vefused duty, and nineteen of them were arrested on a charge of refusing to obey the lawful commands Of the captain. IN NELSON The position on the waterfront continues to improve, and now the Anchor Company have three boats in ccmmiojjioa—the 1 ' and Alexander.

The Koi left for Motueka this morning, and the Alexander is limed in sail for Wellington this evening. Tentative sailings for the West Coast and Wanganui are also announced. The Nikau is due from Wellington tomorrow morning, and will sail the same evening on the return trip. Arising out of a little incident when the Nikau arrived from Wellington yesterday morning, the portion of the wharf near the berthing list was rop-d off when tiu« vessel returned to Wellington last evening. The boat got awiy without anything untoward happening.

THE CORONATION The auxiliary schooner Coronation loft Wellington oh Tuesday night with an accumulation of two days’ mails for Nelson. Up to this afternoon no news had been received of the vessel’s whereabouts. The Post Office advise that a search has been made of the Sounds as far as Cloudy Bay, without result. When the Coronation left Wellington there was a fairly strong northwesterly blowing; and opinion in local shipping circles favour the theory that the vessel is still somewhere in the Sounds. ■

Captain T. Barr is in command of the schooner.