SHIPPING HELD UP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19808, 1 December 1927, Page 11

SHIPPING HELD UP.

STRIKE IN AUSTRALIA. ALL PORTS AFFECTED. POSITION AT MELBOURNE. MEN DECLINE TO START. OWNERS' TERMS REFUSED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received November 30, 11.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. MELBOURNE. Nov. 80. Although an unofficial statement gained currency to day that the overtime strike had been postponed until after Christmas, the waterside workers did not wort? to-day. Several hundred men attended the morning call, but in view of the shipowners' ukase that they would not take on men unless the latter agreed to work overtime, none of those offering signed on. Vigilance officers of the Waterside Workers' Federation instructed the men already engaged for to-day to continue work on the conditions on which they were engagtjd, but to cease punctually at five o'clock. Work was continued on a few vessels, but all the overseas steamers, including the Maloja, are now tied up It is not known whether the Maloja will remain at Melbourne or go on to Sydney, her terminal port.. She has 2000 tons of cargo for Melbourne, and 3COQ tons for Sydney. She landed 130 passengers at Melbourne, and has 160 for Sydney and New Zealand. Mr. W H Swanton, spokesman for the Overseas. Shipping Association, said to-day that he placed little faith in the report that; the strike would be suspended until after Christmas Information received from officers of the shipping companies who attended the morning call was to the effect that the men had received definite instructions not to work overtime As this was one of the shipowners' stipulations, no wharf labourers offered their services The city's coal supplies are threatened, as among the ships held up are four colliers. The position is to be reviewed by the Trades Hall Council to-morrow, when an effort will be made to force the Waterside Workers' Federation to consult the whole Labour movement. Over thirty overseas and inter-State vessels are in port. Those due to sail include the Kaponga for NewZealand. In the Legislative Assembly, the Premier. Mr. E J. Hogan, said ha had been exerting every effort to effect a settlement of the dispute, and he hoped it would be possible to prevent a general •toppage.

BOMBSHELL TO OWNERS. COMMONWEALTH LINE'S MOVE AGREEMENT MADE WITH MEN. (Received November 30, 11.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. MELBOURNE, Nov. 30. The officials of the Commonwealth Line of steamers have announced that an agreement has been reached with the Waterside Workers' Federation, by which employment will be offered to the men under the conditions which obtained immediately prior to the overtime strike. The federation will provide labour for Commonwealth liners and, if necessary, will permit overtime to be worked. The announcement came- as a bombshell to the owners, particularly as the Commonwealth Line, being a member of the Overseas Shipping Representatives' Association, was a party to the ultimatum served by the owners on the watersi ders. The agreement amounts to a repudiation of that ultimatum. The negotiations were kept a close secret until thf» agreement was reached The shipowners are incensed at the Commonwealth Line standing aloof and giving theiu what they describe as a stab in the back. The E'mergency Committee appointed by the Australian Council of Trades Unions has been advised to watch events, but further intervention by that body is unlikely, although, should ships be tied np as threatened by the shipowners, widespread unemployment would result among the members of many other onions which are linked with the council. It would then be essential for an outside organisation to step in, in spite of the assurances given by the Waterside Workers' Federation that it is capable of conducting its own disputes without outside interference.

GOVERNMENT ATTITUDE CLOSELY WATCHING DISPUTE. ENFORCING LAW AND ORDER. A. itnd N.Z. CANBERRA, Nov. 80. The Prime Minister, Mr. S. M. Bruce, in reply to the request of a deputation of Tasmanian members of the Senate and House of Representatives, fchat the Government take action immediately to relieve the position in Tasmania caused by th.3 strike, said the Ministry was closely watching the dispute, and it was hoped that within a few days it would be possible to decide what action the Government could usefully take to end tho dispute. * When speaking in the Senate the VicePresident of the Executive Council, Sir George Pearce. said the Government had no intention of bringing pressure to bear on the Arbitration Court to cause it to interfere in the overtime strike. The waterside workers were endeavouring, by a species of terrorism, to make the Arbitration Court bow to their dictation. There was & duty on the watersiders to obey the conditions laid down by the Court. The Government would go to any length to preserve law and order and to see that industry was carried on. There was an obligation on the Labour Party to tell the men they were in the wrong. Mr. J. E. Ogden's motion for the adjournment in order to call attention to the strike was allowed to lapse. OUTLOOK AT FREMANTLE. REFUSAL TO WrJRK EXPECTED (Received November 30. 11.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. , FREMANTLE. Nov. CO. Work proceeded as usual at the Freznantle wharves to-day, but it is expected the men will to-night refuse to work overtime.