LITTLE HOPE OF PEACE

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12181, 4 July 1925, Page 5

LITTLE HOPE OF PEACE

AUSTRALIAN WATERFRONT HOLD-UP RAPIDLY EXTENDING BIG DOCK CLOSES ON MONDAY By Telegraph.—Press Assn —Copyright (Received July 4, 10.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, July 4. Mr J. T. Lang, the State Premier, is making desperate efforts to reopen negotiations with Mr Stanley Bruce, the Prime Minister, with a view to settling the shipping dispute, hut there does not seem much promise of his intervention bearing the fruits of industrial peace. A’ meeting of the marine transport group and the employees of Morts’ Dock decided not to work the steamer Hunter, the employees of the dock stating that they had no dispute with the dock management, but, being unionists, they would stand by the

working class, and say that until union labour was employed on tho Hunter they would not work her. According to the management’s ultimatum, the works will now close on Monday, and 1500 men will be idle. Fifteen members of the crew of the Huddart-Parker steamer Zealandia handed in notices. No reason was given ■The Federal representatives of the unions interested in the shipping dispute will meet on Monday, when their attitude towards the trouble will brt declared. At this meeting the gas and electric lighting employees also will announce their decision. MR LAING’S MEDIATION FUTILE (Received July 4, 1.10 a.m.) With reference to the steps Mr Lang might take to settle the whole shipping trouble, it is generally agreed m union circles that no single State Premier can do anything, because the deadlock already has touched three States, and the remaining three must become embroiled at an early date. It is-stated that the shipowners in-

tend to discard the defunct award im mediately, without awaiting the ex piration of articles. Mr Seale, secretary of the Sydney branch of the Watersiders’ Federation, states that the members of the union take strong exception to a statement recently published that the seamen desired that the cargo of the steamer Canberra should not he worked, hut that the watersiders opposed this. Mr Seale says the Seamen’s Union never at any time asked that the Canberra should be d-'clared black, or that the cargo should not be worked.