BRITISH SHIPPING STRIKE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19133, 26 September 1925, Page 11

BRITISH SHIPPING STRIKE.

COMMONWEALTH DEADLOCK EACH SIDE UNCOMPROMISING SETTLEMENT NOT IN SIGHT. ORVIETO A TEST VESSEL. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received 11.35 p.m.) A. and N.Z. SYDNEY. Sept. 25. Notwithstanding the fact that a deadlock has been reached in the negotiations for a settlement of the British seamen's strike, moderate Labour circles consider the conference might be resumed if the strikers would waive two clauses in their terms. One of these clauses dissociates the strikers from tho British Seamen's and Firemen's Union. The other states that a final agreement must be entered into by the strike committee and the Australian Seamen's Union, on the one hand, and by tho owners' representatives on the other. Tho owners' representatives refuse to recognise that the Australian Seamen s Union is concerned in the strike. They decline to negotiate with it. The membfrs of the Commonwealth Laboui Council are remaining in Sydney awaiting developments in the hope of a further move being made for n settlement. To-day 133 striking seamen were each sentenced to seven days' imprisonment. The Deportation Board has resumed its sittings, which liavo so far cost £3OO a day. An urgent appeal for funds to assist the striking seamen has been issued. The Labour Council has instructed all the unions to levy their members at a rate of H per cent, on their weekly earnings. A message from Melbourne says the Orient Company announces that the Orvieto will call at Adelaide and then at Melbourne. She will probably discharge her Victorian passengers and cargo from the anchorage in an attempt to check propaganda among the crew. The shipping companies regard the Orvieto as a tost ship. If she is held up they will probably put into operation their threat to curtail sailings to Australia and New Zealand from London. The Victorian executive of the Waterside Workers' Federation has received instructions from the Federal Council at Sydney that tho Orvieto must bo worked on her arrival at Melbourne. PRISON FOR SEAMEN. MELBOURNE AND PERTH. OVER 200 SENTENCED. A. and N.Z. MELBOURNE. Sept. 25. A further 150 British seamen have been sent to gaol in connection with the strike. At Perth 74 of the strikers have been sentenced to a fortnight's imprisonment., each for refusing duty. ADVICE TO STRIKERS. MESSAGE FROM OWNERS. AUSTRALIAN UNION'S MOTIVES. A. and N.Z. SYDNEY. Sept. 25. The Overseas Shipping Representatives' Association has issued the following message to tho striking British seamen: — " Recently this association asked whether the British seamen who had been stranded in Australia as a result of the strike would be admitted to membership of the Australian Seamen's Union. The officials of the latter have discreetly refrained from answering the question, hoping that it wonld be overlooked by the British seamen. " The plain fact is that the officials of the Australian union know that British seamen are not allowed to join coastal vessels in Australia until they have been given membership of tho Australian union. They know that even if British seamen are admitted to the local union they must wait for membership for six months from the time they leave their ships. British crews of new or chartered vessels which have come to Australia in tho last 12 months have had a heartbreaking experience of the attitude of the Australian Seamen's Union. Cast adrift by the insistence of the union that they must be replaced by Australians, British seamen have vainly tried to gain admittance to tho Australian union. Finally they have been taken back to Britain by British ships—repatriated because they are not wanted here. "It is already well known that there is rejoicing in tho Australian union because, when the strike ends, it is presumed that Australian ratings will replace those British seamen who have found employment ashore, but are not in the union. " We say to you again: Before it is too late rejoin your ships, return to your own land, and present any grieyances to your own union and to the British Board of Trade. You will receive a fair hearing." A writer in the Melbourne Argus says " There are two informative features of the strjke meetings which must impress those observers who think about them. The first is that the seamen are never left to do their own speaking. The professional agitators do practically all of.it. The second is that, although it is confidently declared that a secret ballot would not result in the men returning to the ships, there is unfaltering determination not to try it. A mere glance at the men as they wait for their charity meals is indication enough that they have no heart for the business of being used as the tools of others. I have observed them each day and heard their conversation, and the" feeling is evident enough that they would rather be atioat. . . Some people who have talked with the men are disposed to think that a ship or two will slip away at any moment, and then the strike will collapse." LABOUR'S OFFENSIVE. DEPORTATION ATTACKED. THE GOVERNMENT WARNED. and N.Z. MELBOURNE. Sept. 25. Speaking in the Senate on the Supply Bill, Mr.' A. Gardiner (Labour), Leader of the Opposition, said he had something to say, but he did not 'wish it to be taken as a threat. Previously he had said the Labour Party, when it came into power, would keep the Deportation Board in order to deal with those who created it. Mr. Gardiner said he was now opposed to that course. The board was too

costly for his party to adopt a similar ( method. He would impeach the Min- i istry for sedition by violating the principle of trial by jury. They would be given a fair trial on the floor of the House, and they would be found guilty because Labour -would have a majority. | The Minister for Home Affairs, Mr. C. F. Pearce, announced that, in view of the protracted nature of the proceedings of the Deportation Board, the members' fees of 25 guineas a sitting would ; be revised. AFFECTED INDUSTRIES. WOOL AND DAIRYING. SERIOUS POSITION ARISING. Australian and jST.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 1.5 a.m.) SYDNEY. Sept. 25. The chairman of the Sydney Centre of the National Council of Wool Selling Brokers of Australia, Mr. Graham, referred to-day to the effect of tbe shipping strike. He said: "If the strike is going to continue when tho whole of the wool clip is on the market, the work of getting the wool shipped with the usual expedition will be extremely difficult, if not actuaffy impossible. Under such circumstances the continuance of the sales will be imperilled. " If the sales aro stopped the stores will soon fill, and the. time, will come when the wool will have to be held on the stations until the' machinery can be got moving again." The general manager of the Coastal Farmers' Co-operative Society referred to the effect of the strike on the dairying industry. He said the hold up, occurring as it had at tho beginning of the export season, was appalling. For several years after the war the dairy farmers had a bad time, both in relation' to the increased cost of production and the uncertain seasons and marketing prqspects overseas. This season it was absolutely necessary to re-establish the industry upon a sounder basis. His considered opinion was that the dairymen were ready to'make some move toward enforcing the transport of thoil' goods overseas. WATERSIDE TROUBLE. DISPUTE \H QUEENSLAND. A COMPULSORY CONFERENCE. . A. and N.Z. BRISBANE, Sept. 24. The Queensland Government has intervened in tho shipping hold-up on the . north coast caused by the attempt of the wharf labourers :to enforce the rotary system. A compulsory conference between the parties to the dispute has been called for Monday. SOUTH AFRICAN PORTS. MEN STILL OBDURATE. PEACE RUMOUR CONTRADICTED. Renter. CAPETOWN. Sept. 24. A report was circulated yesterday to the effect that tbe strike committee at Durban bad passed a resolution agreeing that the strike • should bo called off. and that the British seamen should ac-. cept the present wages and conditions pending au investigation and a reorganisation of the Maritime Boardj provided that > there was no victimisation and that imprisoned strikers were released. It was also reported that should' the seamen ratify the resolution it was proposed to call a conference between the strikers and the shipowners. ■ To-day the strike executive, however, issued a statement denying the announcement. It states that the men are more determined than eyer, and have received information that the cargoes of ships which have sailed from South Africa will not be unloaded. FEDERAL ELECTIONS. LOWER HOUSE DISSOLVED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 11.35 p.m.) MELBOURNE. Sept. 25. The Federal House of Representatives was dissolved to-day. Members are now free therefore to enter upon the election campaign. ' ,