COMMONWEALTH SHIPPING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18541, 29 April 1922, Page 10

COMMONWEALTH SHIPPING

HOBSON’S BAY DISPUTE. A CRISIS REACHED. PrM* Association—By Telegraph—Copyright SYDNEY, April 28. The Hobson’s Bay dispute has reached a head. When the chief officer selected 15 deck hands, who were not included in the union’s ballot, Mr Johnson, assistantsecretary of the Seamen’s Union, accompanied by 45 men selected, bv Qm union, approached the signing-on'-talSle ’and prevented each one of the 15 from signing. The ship’s officers thereupon ordered Johnson from tho ship. The latter, in appealing to tho 45 men, said: “This is the first that an official of the union has been ordered from a ship. I am going. You may follow." All the men then left. A full complement of cooks, bakers, and stewards signed on, but..pq,deck hands or firemen signed. It is feri-' ticipated, tin consequence of the trouble, that the vessel will not sail on time. The teamen’s Union met, but declined to make any announcement to the press. CREJV.SIGtNJNQ 0N... ■„ \ t “ SYDNEY, April 28.' (Received April 28, at 10.15 p.m.) The chief officer of the Hobson Bay has signed on with a full crew of seamen with the exception of two. The engagement of the engine-room complement is. also proceeding satisfactorily. The skipper is quite confident that the steamer wilß sail to time. Owing to a difference of opinion between Mr Hughes, the Prime Minister, and Mr H. ,B. Larkin, general manager of the Commonwealth Government shipping enterprise, in regard to the manning of the Hobson’s Bay, the tween the chief of the line arid the* head" of the Government last year may be revived shortly. On that occasion the difference of opinion was so acute, that Mr Larkin resigned, and was only persuaded to renew his agreement with the Govern? mont for a.»yaar after several. stormy interviews with" Mr Hughes and an undertaking, had been given that the line was to be runfree of political interference. Witli reference to the manning of tne steamer mentioned, Mr Larkin issued instructions bn the following lines(a). Full crew to be paid off at Sydney, (b) All hands signed on ship in Britain to be reengaged if desirous of rejoining and ehgible for oosition. (c) Vacancies to be filled by hands excluded vpipns,-. fxopti vioinma steamers Moretori Bay" and Largs Hav, aritx heads 5 of departments to have free selection of men. (d) Any present member of crew not rejoining not to lie given a passage back to Britain, (e) If unions prevent crews from joining on these conditions the vessel to be manned and despatched with nonunion labour. . , S Fearing that the proposed action_woula lead to industrial turmoil, Mr - Hughes vetoed the general managers instructions, 'and substituted the following conditions under which the crew of the ship was to be changed:—(a) Crew to be paid off at Sydney and all hands allied with Australian maritime unions to be re-engaged. Jo) No passage back to Britain .^.,b.SjJ® ran *®4r to members of crew not rejoining. tc) Vacancies to be filled by excluded men from steamers Moreton Bay and T^irg 8 J>ay. (d) Management to have .free selection or crew, (e) Vessel to he laid up indefinitely if unions refuse to recognise and act up to conditions laid down It will be observed that the two. chiefs desire to over;V come union domination by vastly different methods. The shinning manager is determined to. keep the ships moving even if lie has to resort to non-union labour wh e tho Prime Minister considers that it would be wiser, if necessary, to place the ship, which cost .£1,400.000 or thereabouts, out of commission till the union officials agreed to man her on the terms ok.jlm mont. In the one instance -a heavy loss* would; be sustained while the vessel w s lying idle. The trade which is bemg built up under great difficulties would-get a setback as a full cargo is already booked for. her On tho other hand, if non-union labour were employed she would at once tol a “black” shin, and the trouble might rapidly spread to her numerous sisters with the result that not only linens but the best part of the Federal fleet, ’might also be added to tho idle hs .