DELAY TO SHIPS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21482, 4 May 1933, Page 8

DELAY TO SHIPS

DISPUTE AT WELLINGTON MORE VESSELS HELD uHI ; . j|| FERRY STEAMER SAILS || [BY XKLECRAril —T'RESS ASSOCIATION - } ; ' WELLINGTON, Wednesdaj No settlement of the dispute hoi tween the shipowners and the Seamen's Union was arrived at to-day, with the result that the hold-up of shipping Was intensified by the addition of several vessels to those detained yesterday, I}] 9 only ships to leave port to-day were the ferry steamer Rangatira, which sailed at the usual time for Lyttelton, and the small cargo steamer Tees;, which left at a late hour for Dunedin.' Members of the Seamen's Union met at eight o'clock this morning and held several lengthy sessions du/ing the day. What transpired is not known, union officials declining to make any statement. Apparently it was decided to continue the hold-up. It is understood that the crews of the liners Mono, wai and Maunganui, ,which are among the vessels affected, were given 24 hours' notice of termination of their engagement at five o'clock this evening. _ . The trouble has extended to t;ia Picton steamer Tamahine and her usual sailing was cancelled. Other ships held up to-night were the cargo vessel* Waimarino, Awahou, Gale and Port Whangarei. Ships due to arrive to-moir-row are the ferry steamer cargo steamers Wainui from Melbourne via Southern ports, Kapiti, Holmdale and Calm, from Lyttelton; Kaimsii,. from Greymouth; Inaha, from Paten; CanopuS, from Westport; Poolta, from Gisbornc; and Gael, from Hokitika.

The Monowai and Maungamii, which were scheduled to leave yesterday for Auckland and Sydney respectively, were flying their "blue peters" all day, but as no settlement was reached their .sailings were agata cancelled. Notice, to the crews of "termination of their engagement aim' be taken as an indication that unless a settlement of the trouble is reached beforehand all hands will be paid off to-morrow afternoon. The Maunganui, in the ordinary course, should have sailed yesterday an time to arrive at Sydney on Saturday and leave there again next week on her return voyage to San Francisco. The Monowai was scheduled to leaire Auckland on Friday for Sydney, but in the present circumstances she cannot fulfil this arrangement. The Nelson ferry steamer Arahura, which -?ras held up last night, was to have made a daylight run to Nelson and back to-day, but this arrangement had to be cancelled.

THE PROVISIONAL AGREEMENT WAGES QUESTION DEFERRED [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] ' WELLINGTON, Wednesday Last year, after protracted negotiations between the Seamen's Union aid the Shipowners' Federation, a provisional agreement was reached, providing for a 10 per cent " cut " in tie wages of' seamen and firemen, to operate as from November 1 last. T.ie former agreement, which expired at tie end of August, was not subject to the general order by ,which employees in other had their wages reduced by 10 per cent. The owners proposed, a 20 per cent "cut," but this was reduced after- negotiations to 10 per ceni. Further negotiations were concluded ! last month, when a new provisional agreement was reached, providing for a further 5 per cent " cut, 1 ' to operate on May 1. This agreement was the result of negotiations by the owners with the executive officers of the Seamen s j Union, and the owners notified the union that.it would operate from Monday. The wages question, however, was to be held over for one month and was to be the subject of further negotiation.

NO DELAY AT LYTTELTON DAY WITHOUT INCIDENT [by TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION! CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday There were more coastal and intercolonial vessels than usual at Lyttelton to-day, but no trouble occurred and the vessels scheduled to sail did so without incident. They included the ferry steamer Maori, which left at the usual time. DEVELOPMENT AT DUNEDIN WAIPIATA UNABLE TO SAIL [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION"] DUNEDIN. Wednesday The Union Company's coastal steamer Waipiata, which was scheduled to sail this evening, could not bo cleared, as tho men refused to sign on under netf articles. The ship's articles had expired and new ones wero prepared under the conditions outlined in the message received from Wellington. The seamen were unwilling to accept tho terms offered. No alteration in wages or rates of overtime was proposed in the new. articles. No other ship at Dunedin is affected) the Union Company's steamer Opihi and the motor-vessel Holmglen sailing at their appointed times to-night.

AUCKLAND NOT AFFECTED SHIPS SAIL AS USUAL Tho trouble between the Seamen'i Union and the Shipowners' Federation at Wellington has not affected shipping j at Auckland. On Tuesday the ,Koyal Mail liner Niagara sailed for Vancouver and local coastal vessels were despatched according to time-table. Yesterday tno Union Company's steamer A\aipßfl* sailed for "Westport and a number or local vessels sailed for coastal ports.