SHIPPING STRIKE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16870, 27 October 1925, Page 7

SHIPPING STRIKE.

SEAMEN’S NEW ORGANISATION. MOVEMENT IN SYDNEY. ATTACK BY STRIKERS. AN UGLY THREAT. Elce. Tel. Copyright--United Press A=sn. SYDNEY, Oot. 2(5. A definite move has boon made by certain loaders of the striking seamen to form a new union. The aim of the promoters is to persuade the seamen to repudiate their own union and join tho now organisation. The proposed union will embrace the strikers in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Canada. A significant aspect is the proposal by a section of the strikers that a high executive officer of the Australian Seamen’s Union be appointed the principal organiser with headquarters in London. A stop-work meeting of seamen will he held to-morrow to consider besides strike matters the proposal to form the new organisation cabled to-day. Several officials of the local Seamen’s Union are opposed to the proposal. They consider it would weaken their own organisation which is claimed to bo very strong. The feeling among the rank and file seems to he that while still in sympathy with the strikers the hitter’s claims are being given too much attention at the expense of the local organisation.

MELBOURNE, Oct. 2(5. Striking seamen rushed a taxi-cab containing volunteers and savagely attacked them. One volunteer had to be sent to hospital. The. strikers also attacked a Nationalist meeting on tho Yarra hank and upset the platform and broke up the meeting. Speaking on Yarra bank, Mr. Garden, secretary of the N.S.W. Council, said that if Air. Bruce put his hand on Walsh or any other Labor leader, tho strikers would put their hands on Mr. Bruce —either this or next, week there would be certain, developments which he could not at present disclose. The steamer Oronxay arrived, having eliminated Western Australian and South Australian' ports. Site is not expected to be a fleeted. During Ihe past five day's, four British ships, with crews totalling over 1.000, have arrived, and despite all the efforts of the strikers the crews remain loyal. Another instance of what is regarded as job control is reported from the Iluddart, Parker steamer Werribee at Geelong. Trouble arose over the firemen, resulting in the crew refusing to take the vessel to sea. The Werribee is consequently tied up. EXCITING .SITUATION AT QUEENSLAND PORT. FARMERS PREPARE TO GOAL MAHTA. BRISBANE, Oct. 2(5. The steamers Port Auckland and Port Sydney sailed for Sydney manned with skeleton crows. The strikers used physical force in ejecting a number of graziers who came aboard the Commonwealth and Dominion liner Mahia at Gladstone for a social evening with tho captain, but the crew were under the impression they' were coming to work the ship and threatened to throw them into the harbor if the.v did not leave. The strikers at Gladstone remain in possession of the Mahia and the wharf, which arc strongly picketed. The town is full of farmers who are determined to supply tho vessels with coal. They have asked the Premier for State protection while they do so. Feeling runs high and, if the farmers attempt to carry out thoir threat,' serious trouble is expected. Police reinforcements have been drafted to Gladstone from Rockhampton. It appears that the farmers’ visit to the Mahia, which led to the trouble, was for the purpose of discussing wit a the captain plans for working the ship with volunteer labor.

Over one hundred seamen belonging to the steamers Port Auckland and Port Sydney were left behind when the steamers sailed. A meeting of strikers discussed the position. The two pilots who navigated the steamers out were declared "black." The cooks on the pilot steamer were not allowed to cook their food. The strikers’ committee interviewed the Premier regarding the dispute, including the Gladstone trouble. Though tire result has nov been disclosed it is believed the strikers were made lo realise that coal must be supplied for the steamers’ refrigerators, particularly in view of the farmers’ attitude at Gladstone.

Speaking at an open-air meeting, the acting-Stato secretary of tho Australian Seamen’s Union declared that if the strike committee thought they could win the, fight by refusing coal and sacrificing a few thousand tons of cargo they would refuse the coal. It was the duty of the working classes to take advantage of the opportunity.

CERAMIC ARRIVES FROM LIVERPOOL. ■ SYDNEY, Oct. 20. Tho Ceramic has arrived from Liverpool. The wharf laborers are discharging her cargo. The hold-up in egg oxport caused by the strike, is being relieved. The Suevic is shipping 220,000 dozen for London and Die Esperanee Bay on November 7 will ship, 150,000 dozen. POLICE LEAVE STOPPED. FREMANTLE, Oct. 20. In view of the shipping posilioii all district police have been notified that, under no circumstances must they leave their district till further notice. DENY THAT STRIKE IS OFF. AUCKLAND, last night. An absolute denial of the statement that the shipping strike was oil is given by a union representative who also denied the statement previously made.

At a meeting nil Saturday night Mr. F. Walsh, who presided, admitted that the position of the British seamen had been weakened not by their own members but by others working in New Zealand alongside with farmers and business irten, who had taken the places of the striking seamen as free laborers. Mr. A. Lees advised the seamen, in the event of being forced to retreat, to do so in an organised manner, so Hud, the British seamen would be able to malco their organised pressure felt at a later poriod. It was stated officially by the cliuirmnn that tho overseas dispute had been handed over to the Alliance of Labor unconditionally to be controlled by the Alliance. The levy of ton shillings per month on seamen and 2J per cent, on waterside workers would be continued on behalf of the British seamen. NORTHERN STEAMER HELD UP. AUCKLAND, last; night. Owing to tho absence of its stokehold staff at sailing time, tho Northern

Company’s steamer Clansman was unable to sail this evening for Russel and northern ports. There were SO passengers on board. The delay iollows upon recent trouble regarding the duties of don key men on New Zealand steamers, ns a sequel to the refusal ot Iho moil to operate tin- valves, pumps and other machinery.' Legal action is being taken by llic Labor Department against, local officials of the Seamen’s ITnion. The case is to be heard in Auckland on Wednesday and the greaser and three firemen of the Clansman have been subpoenaed to give evidence for the union. As the ship would not be back in Auckland until next Friday, they were paid off on Saturday and this morning four men were signed on in their place, ihe Clansman was timed to sail at !> o’clock this evening, but, at that time, there was no appearance of the new men. After waiting for some time to see if they would show up, the departure of the ship was postponed until to morrow evening.