THE SHIPPING DISPUTE

Otago Witness, Issue 3595, 6 February 1923, Page 49

THE SHIPPING DISPUTE

THE SUSPENDED ACT. HON. G. .1. ANDERSON’S STATEMENT. WELLINGTON, January 29. The Minister of Marine (the Hon. G. J. Anderson) made the following statement todav: —“My attention has been called to a statement by Mr W. Clarke, secretary of the Dunedin branch of the Seamen’s Union, to the effect that Mr Massey had promised to reinstate the suspended requirements of the Shipping and Seamen’s Act, and that he had failed to redeem his promise. This statement was contrary to tact. The provisions were reinstated at the conclusion of the recent shipping trouble. In reply to a communication received on Saturday I informed Mr Clarke that I had consulted the Crown Law Office, and had been advised that men employed on ships could not be discharged, unless they desired it, until their vessels returned to their home ports and tire articles under which the men had been engaged were completed.” STATEMENT BY MINISTER. REPLY TO UNION SECRETARY. As a result of the statements made by Mr W. Clarke, the local secretary of the Federated Seamen’s Union, the Minister of Marine, the lion. G. J. Anderson, made the following reply on the 29th : “My attention has been called to a statement by Mr W. Clarke, secretary of the Dunedin branch of the SeaAien’s Union, to the effect that Mr Massey had promised to reinstate the suspended requirements of the Shipping and Seamen's Act, and that he had failed to redeem Ids promise. This statement was contrary to fact. The provisions were reinstated at the conclusion of the recent shipping trouble. - In reply to a communication received on Saturday I informed Mr Clarke that I had consulted the Crown Law Office, and had been advised that men employed on ships could not be discharged, unless they desired it, until their vessels returned to their home ports and the .articles under which the men had been engager! were completed.” On being questioned about this reply on the 30th, Mr Clarke said to a reporter that, the Minister’s statement was not- correct. “J wrote to the Minister yesterday,” continued Mr Clarke, "and asked biro to answer two questions. The first was : ‘ls it illegal for any vessels to proceed to sea without the legal complement of a crew on board?’ The second question was: ‘ls it the duty of the shipping master at every port to see that all vessels comply strictly with the Shipping and Seamen’s Act?’ There is a considerable difference in the wording of the Minister’s telegram to me and his statement made at Wellington yesterday. That telegram reads as follows: ‘Acting under legal advice of Crown Law Office in matter, which advises that men can only be discharged at respective home ports ’ “ If, as the Minister stated, the Shipping {Act has been reinstated,” the speaker continued, “ we contend that he has no power to assist the shipping companies by allowing vessels to continue running for a lengthy period with unqualified crews. An instance of the present state of affairs occurs on the liawatiri, which arrived here reoently with a cargo of coal. This vessel’s final port of discharge will probably be Dunedin, and, under the Shipping Act, all unqualified members of the crew, we contend, must be discharged at this port. Notwithstanding this position, the Minister is allowing the Kawatiri and other vessels to trade still manned with crews the majority of whom are unqualified men. There are several other vessels on which the position is the same,” concluded Mr Clarke. CONFERENCE OF ALLIANCE OF LABOUR. WELLINGTON, January 30. Regarding the suspension of the Shipping and Seamen’s Act the following official report is supplied to the Times by Mr J*. Roberts, secretary of the Alliance of Labour: — “The annual conference of the New Zealand Alliance of Labour, which concluded yesterday, discussed the. question of the suspension of the Shipping Act, and reports were also given by a representative of the Seamen’s Union, who stated that although the Prime Minister promised the Seamen's Union that when the dispute was over the Shipping Act would be reinstated, this had not been done, for several vessels still operated up anti down the coast with unqualified crews. The conference therefore carried the following resolution :—That this conference of the Alliance of Labour emphatically protests against any further suspension of the Shipping and Seamen’s Act, which is still in operation in regard to certain vessels, notwithstanding the fact that the Prime Minister promised that as soon as the seamen’s dispute was settled the Shipping and Seamen’s Act would be reinstated. We submit that there is no justification for permitting unqualified labour to remain in ships when qualified seamen of all classes are available. Qualified men should be shipped at the first available por‘ in order to safeguard the lives and property of the general public. We say this by reason of the fact that we are given to understand that there has been no boat drill by free labour crews during the recent dispute, and on certain vessels, up to the present time. The public can readily understand the consequences in case of an accident at sea on ■' vessels manned by crews who have no knowledge whatever of handling lifeboats. We therefore call on the Prime Minister to carry out the promise given to the seamen, and reinstate the Shipping Act and make it. apply to all vessels without further delay.” The conference of the Alliance of Labour, which has been sitting since last Thursday, concluded its business. The delegates are returning, to their, homes. MR YOUNG’S ATTITUDE. WELLINGTON, January 30. The retention in the shipping service until they reach home ports of unqualified seamen and firemen engaged during the recent trouble is raising protests from Labour bodies. Mr Young, secretary of the Seamen’s Federation, holds that the Minister’s contention is not in conformity with law; but seemingly is in terms of the Arbitration Court’ award, which the ’Minister of Marine is not called upon to administer. Me points out that section 75 of the Shipping Act lays down the port of discharge, and provides that an agreement with the seamen may be terminated at the final port of discharge in New Zealand by 24 hours’ notice on either side on completion of the round voyage. Mr Young hints : hat the , Minister desires delay.