SHIPPING TROUBLE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 28 November 1922, Page 5

SHIPPING TROUBLE

.... , —- SEAMEN’ GETTING 'RESTIVE (United Press Association.) .WELLINGTON, Nov. 27. Up to the time of .going to press there were no fresh developments in connection with the shipping trouble. The Seamens’ Union: executive,', is still sitting, but has . nothing to , repor ta s to the nature of the proceedings. ' It is believed the bulk Of the mem-' l\ers of the Union are now getting restive ,at the prolonged period of pmremunerative forced idleness, and that h the guarantee asked for by the shipowners from the Union is not. forth-coming-the men themselves -will compel the executive to take steps to bring about a return to normal; conditions. The Union Steamship ’Company decided to put the steamer Maori into/ the Lyttelton ferry running again on Wednesday*' A non-Union crew has been, obtained.

MOVEMENTS OF STEAMERS daily more normal ■ .WELLINGTON, This Day. ’ The. only thing noticeable hi connection with the shipping trouble is that the steamers continue to come and go, and thqjr movements are becoming daily more noram I. The Mararoa- was a full (.ship for Lyttelton last evening. To-moirow. the Maori will resume after 4 fortnight’s idleness. , ■ ■. A meeting of the Seamen s ; Union executive Was held yesterday, but it® doings remain undisclosed. ; The owners are also sitting tight. A good many men, i.peciaMy the married, are becoming tired at the enforced '"idleness, and are said ,to be Availing to give individual guarantees ■ to. carry on work uninterruptedly, but the -shipping companies maintain the attituic that the guarantee must he given by Hie Union.

WATERSIDERS TO RESUME AT GISBORNE

GISBORNE, This Day

A week a£o the, walersidcrs erased working cargo, since when business men and shipowners have kept work' going with free labour: Yesterday Mr W. D. Lysnar, acting as meduftor, got the Union representatives and employers to confer, with the results -that free labour is no longer necessary. Unionists will "resume and work all boats.

OFFICERS AND SUSPENSION OF 'ACT.

DUNEDIN, This Day. Officers vessels .‘here deny the Christchurch rumour that they are uneasy at the suspension of the Shipping and Seamen’s Act.». # • j THE MARAROA CHRISTCHURCH, Tina Day. The Mararoa will leave to-night for Wellington, but on Wednesday night the Maori will come south arid /continue' the , Mararoa's running. Mararoa will bo laid up meanwhile.

INDICATIONS OF t EARLY SETTLE- : , . MENT

WELLINGTON, This Day. The situation in the shipping trouble shows indications in favour of an early settlement. No announcement has yot been made bv the national executive of the Sea,Then’s" Union,-.but it is believed tho members realise it'is fruitless perpetuating the present position, becattSe shipowners are having no ■ difficulty in getting vessels manned by .free labour, and it seems hopeless to expect ‘support from deck officers or ally outside source. It appears that the executive of.,the Union considers that tho firemen and seamen hjave not refused to accept work under tho Court’s awards; 1 because when the men' offered/their services a week ago the shipowners declined to make anv engagements until the Union first guaranteed- that .tho provisions of the award would be accepted and observed. Developments to-day signify that the executive is anxious to bring about a settlement, and that a conference /nth the shipowners tp discuss the existing situation would be . welcomed. Mr Bishop, secretary of the Shipowners* Federation; stated to-day that n settlement must ,be effected with the Union before -unionists would be allowed to gg back to. the ships. The secretary of tho Merchant Service Guild (Captain MacTndoe) stated this morning that there was no chance of the deck officers going out. He had been 'surprised "to-see a Christchurch telegram to that effect, (Australian & N.Z. Cablq Association.)

SYDNEY, This Day. At a late hour last night the Koranui and Kokiri were unable to sail owing to members of the respective crews absenting themselves. Twenty-four hours notice was given by the remainder. Both vessels were destined for Newcastle. It is explained that the hold-up is pai’t of the seamen’s policy- to boycott ; Union steamers till the strike in New Zealand is declared off, or until the strikers in Long Bay prison are unconditionally released- . ■ •

AUSTRALIAN SIDELIGHTS ~SYDNEY, Nov. 16. • • Although, according to their secretary, the Australian seamen, who have jtist received an increase in wages, are not likely to join in the shipping trouble, considerable inconvenience is already being caused in Australia through the action of the mien on New Zealand articles leaving vessels here, says*he Post correspondent. A more serious develop, raent of the trouble locally is expected on account of the determined attitude of the nien who have been gaoled, in regard to manning the ships. Several interesting incidents have marked the progress of the hold-up. When the Moeraki’s crew first deserted the vessel at the .-wharf, they were earnestly exhorted by a young lady on the wharf io take the vessel Out to 86a, because, as she naively put it, “she had a friend oy, board who was so anxious to get to New Zealand.” Needless to say the gallantry of the men did not prevail over their principles. The 23 members of the crew of the Moeraki who are nOw undergoing sentences of ten week’s imprisonment are bOmoAVhat surprised at the inconsistence of justice. When the, Waikawa’s men were sentenced to two weeks’ gaol, the men of the Moeraki decided to be martyrs at t)io same, price. So they marched to the police-station and surrendered in a body, and afterwards, in Court, enthusiastically pleaded guilty. They lost a good deal of • their enthusiasm when the Magistrate sent them to gaol for ten weeks. ■ Through the Moeraki being held up ip the harbour for two days before the trip '\as definitely abandoned, her passengers enjoved two. days free board at the expense of the Union Company; but some of them earned it. Several of the passengers volunteered to fire while the vessel remained.in port, so that italic firemen returned no time would be lost in getting up steam; One stoker who wag 5 rather portly found the job 100 much for him, nnd frankly announced that he did hot blame the firmen for relinouighing such work. .The others, according to their story,'heard mysterious voices which rang through the stokej hold ,advising them to "get out.” A report also spread that the firemen were coming hack, and that the volunteer stokers ‘‘were going to know all about it ” But the firemen did not return.