THE SHIPPING DISPUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14808, 11 October 1911, Page 8

THE SHIPPING DISPUTE.

DEADLOCK CONTINUES.

MEN CAN FIGHT WITHOUT HELP.

'bt TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Tuesday. The deadlock between the owners of the small coastal steamers and the mates of the vessels continues to-day. Considerable interest was evoked by the message from Invercargill stating that " There was no doubt i that unless the officers' demands are acceded to, the mates of the Union Company will go out also." . Captain D. J. Watson (secretary of the guild) stated that it was not contemplated at this juncture to ask the Union Company's officers to leave their vessels.

In reference to the trouble in discharging the Putiki at Timaru Captain Watson stated that the guild had not approached either the Seamen's Federation or the Waterside Workers' Federation. The secretary of the Timaru branch of the Waterside Workers' Union had telegraphed to him stating that the men had declined to discharge any of the coastal steamers until the guild dispute was settled, and also.that the Waterside Workers' Federation had been informed" and asked to instruct all unions of the Timaru workers' action. The message concluded:—' Do you approve ?" Captain Watson, after conferring with the members of the guild, replied:—" We are not requiring the assistance of anybody. We do not want anybody to strike on our account." The executive of the Waterside Workers' Federation met at Wanganui yesterday morning, and after a lengthy sitting it was decided to advise unions to continue work at present. The Labour Department has been investigating the circumstances connected with mates leaving their .ships in order to ascertain whether a breach has been committed of the strike clauses of the Conciliation and Arbitration Act. The socretary of the guild states that there has been no breach of the Act by mates or guild.

WHARF WORKERS RESUME, [by telegraph.— association.] TiMARtr, Tuesday. The, wharf workers did not start this morning. A meeting was held, when they assembled, and it was, decided to cease work as a means of helping the steamer officers to a speedy settlement. This decision was to apply to all steamers. A telegram was sent to the Merchant Service Guild, and brought a reply of thanks for sympathy and a statement that such action was not necessary at present, as a settlement was in prospect. The reply to a message to the same effect sent "to the Union Federation was that it did not understand the union's action, and advised them to go to work. Work was therefore resumed at one p.m.