HOLD-UP OF SHIPPING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20901, 17 June 1931, Page 8

HOLD-UP OF SHIPPING.

COOKS AND STEWARDS. MAKURA UNABLE TO SAIL. THE REDUCTION IN' WAGES. NOTIFICATION BY EMPLOYERS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Tuesday. There were important developments today in the dispute between the shipowners and the Cooks and Stewards Union in connection with the 10 per cent, wage reduction. The Union Company s liner Makura with passengers, mails and cargo for San Francisco was held up. her departure being tentatively postponed until noon to-morrow. The shipowners to-day gave 24 hours' notico to the cooks and stewards of all ships of their intention to enforce the 10 per cent. cut. The situation is regarded as very critical. The 24 hours' notice given by tljo Union Company to the cooks and stewards of the Makura expired to-day. The ship was timed to sail at 3 p.m. for Rarotonga, Papeete and San Francisco. Sho was to take a fairly large mail, the usual amount of cargo and about 90 passengers, including about 30 from Australia. The cooks and stewards were signed off the ship's articles and given the option of re-engaging at the reduced rate of wages. It is stated that the majority of them were willing to do so on the company s terms, but orders from the union officials forbade them. A general meeting of the Cooks and Stewards' Union will bo held to-morrow morning to discuss the position. It was stated this afternoon that in the event of any attempt on the part of the company to man the providoring department with other than union men the seamen and firemen will refuse to sail with them. No attempt has been made to man either the Waimarino or Katoa, both of which have been held up since Friday owing to the cooks and stewards refusing to accept the 10 per cent, reduction.

Notice has"" been served already on members of tho Merchant Service Guild and tho Marine Engineers' Institute that the cijt will apply. Thus the extraordinary position has arisen that all members of ships' crews are to have their wages reduced except the seamen and firemen, who are covered by a private agreement, which will not expire until July 31, 1932. No trouble arose to-night in connection with the ferry steamers, which sailed as usual from Wellington and Lyttelton. The Union Company's Opihi will go alongside the Waimarino to-morrow to tranship the latter ship's cargo for Southern ports. THE GALE AT TIMARU. MEN REFUSE REDUCTION. [by telegraph.—press association.] TIMARU. Tuesday. The coastal vessel Gale, which arrived at Timaru on Sunday with a cargo of coal and which was to have sailed this evening, is held up on account of the cook and steward refusing to sign on under the new agreement involving a 10 per cent, reduction in wages. When the new agreement was presented the men concerned refused to sign on, acting under instructions from their organisation. SITUATION AT LYTTELTON. CLAUSE IN AGREEMENT. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN COfeRESPONDENT.] CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. It was expected to-day that trouble with the cooks and stewards would extend to the coastal ships in port at Lyttelton. It was the intention of at least one large shipping company to have the following clause inserted in tho articles of each of its ships in port: "All overtime and other additional payments provided by current New Zealand awards or agreements relating to all ratings (other than members of the New Zealand Seamen's Union) shall be subject to a reduction of 10 per cent, 'as from June 16, 1931, and this alteration has this day been consented to by the officers (deck, and engine room) and stewards and cooks." The employers did not proceed with the notice. FEW BOATS AT DUNEDIN. NO DEVELOPMENTS OCCUR. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] DUNEDIN. Tuesday. Very few vessel are berthed at the Dunedin or Pott Chalmers wharves at present and there have been no developments on the lines of the .wages disputes in the North.