DEPARTURE OF KENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19143, 8 October 1925, Page 10

DEPARTURE OF KENT.

SURPRISE FGR STRIKERS. OLD CREW LEFT ASHORE. OTHER SHIPS READY TO SAIL. Another interesting development in tlio seamen's* strike yesterday was the departure from Auckland at mid day of the Federal Line steamer Kent for Wellington. Her departure w*as rathei a shock to the strikers because all the Kent's seamen are on shore. Tlveir places on board the vessel have been taken bv officers from ships in port and 3.lst some cadets from the Devon. The Kent reached Auckland from Liverpool on August 20 and her crew went. 011 strike five days later, two days before she was to sail for Wellington, Lyttelton and Dunedin to complete discharge. On September 4 the vessel caught fire in the stream and she had to be brought hack to the wharf foi repairs and to discharge a large quantity i of damaged cargo. The seamen left the Kent before she j went into the stream prior to the fire and they have not been on board since. The Kent was the only vessel affected by the strike whose seamen remained on shore. She is*also the first of the vessels affected by the strike to leave this port. Of the other steamers .in port, the Waimana is fully loaded and is ready to sail for New York, Boston and London. The Matakana is empty ready for loading. The Zina! is aiso empty, but. she is waiting for the dispute to be settled so that she can proceed to Nauru Island to load. The Benicia is waiting to proceed to Southern ports to discharge her cargo from Montreal. The Devon, AtherJc, Treverbyn arid Port Hacking are all discharging ships and are ready to proceed South to complete unloading their cargoes from various overseas ports.