SHIPPING DISLOCATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17659, 21 December 1920, Page 7

SHIPPING DISLOCATION.

OUTLOOK MORE SERIOUS.

EXTENSION OF THE STRIKE.

MOERAKES RACE TO PORT. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received 12.5 a.m.) A. and N.Z. SYDNEY. Dec. 20. The marine stewards' strike is ing more serious. The owners are employing a strike-breaking crew on the steamer Marella. It is now expected that the strike will spread to the wharf labourers. Th e strike has also spread to inter-State cargo-carriers. The stewards on two vessels at Newcastle are giving notice. The Union Steam Ship Company is racing against time with the Moeiraki, which is due to-night. If the vessel arrives in time, there is a good chance of despatching her to Tasmania before the stewards' notices expire. Some union officials are of opinion that -he Steamship Owners' Federation will seize the opportunity for a trial of strength with certain maritime unions wh.ch have been harassing them for months past.

«!?T rh the immer]i »te issue in the pretr ° üb ' e '" S the de of P the Federated Manne Stewards and Pantrvan*Lwr al, °; f ° r the introduction of more hht , Ur **• at Sea ' demand " ar-rnm I}■ ma ? nln * and increased crew ♦l , ° n « h her e been P ressed msistfor "the 7 , ih t ° *'*****<* Seamen's Union ISJ aS * 6 J? mont "S and have been supported by threats of serious dislocaS2S; a u fp »l n «"7 w >"th these IT; d f, hav f been ur «d of late has comr ed nf th i shipowners to or?a.ni*e some form of effective resistence. Their policv Z^K° U o nd u ,n a , Rtatemp nt issued on DefS, '%^ 7 ihe Australian Steamship 270!wl erat,on - The statement read

inur *♦ 7 \- pOB - ltlon has arisen in the intei-State shipping industry in consequence of members of the Seamen's Union refusing in many instances to man steamers unless their demands for additional manning or additional accommodation, or other alterations in working conditions are conceded to them. From inquiries which have been made of the inter-State companies, it would appear that, without waiting for the proclamation of the Navigation Act, shipowners have alreadv had the seamen s accommodation on thie'r vessels altered and improved to complv with the requirements of that Act, and are also increasing the stokehold manning where necessary to bring it up to the scale provided for in same. This has not only involved very heavy expenditure on the companies, but also loss of revenue through reduced passenger and cargo space. Instead of appreciating this action of the owners in granting improved conditions in advance of the proclamation of the Act, certain officials of the Seamen's Union seem determined upon enforcing further demands much in excess of the requirements of the Act, and for some time past have subjected the individual shipowners to a series of extravagant claims, which in many cases do not appear to have been the outcome of complaints made by the men themselves. "In view of the acute congestion of cargo and shortage of coal supplies which arose owing to the dislocation of shipping during and after the war, and) with desire of restoring the coastal traffic to its normal state as quickly as possible, and so minimising inconvenience to the public, shipowners up to the present have felt compelled to concede a' great many of these demands. They consider, however, that the position has now become so intolerable that there is no alternative but to make a firm stand. It has therefore been determined that any further demands in excess of the requirements of the Navigation Act will be resisted, and that any steamers on which the crews refused to go to sea unless such further demands are conceded will be laid up. The companies feel confident that in taking this action, which will involve them in very serious loss, they will have the full support of the public, notwithstanding the inconvenience which may result.

In accordance with the decision arrived at, the cargo steamer Nardoo was laid up at Newcastle and the Aramac at Brisbane. In both these cases a demand was made for three trimmers in excess of *he requirements of the Navigation Act, and the crews refused 1 to go to sea unless their demands were granted. In addition to these two vessels, the Wyreema was held up at Sydney, owing to a number of unreasonable demands made by the crew.