STRIKE POSITION

Southland Times, Issue 20616, 15 October 1928, Page 6

STRIKE POSITION

SHIPS TO BE MANNED SEAMEN DECIDE TO WORK DEFINITE POLICY AWAITED (United Press Assn.—By Telegraph—Copyright.) Sydney, October 13. The seamen after a stormy meeting decided that they would man all the ships until the Trades Union Council and the watersiders formulated a definite policy. Mr Jacob Johnson reminded members of the utter futility of sacrificing themselves on behalf of the wharf labourers who let them down during the last British seamen’s strike. A Port Adelaide message says that the Seamen's Union there has agreed to continue working.—Australian Press Association. LOSSES TO PASTORALISTS. Perth, October 13. Owing to the strike causing the postponement of the wool sales it is estimated that Western Australian pastoralists have already lost upwards of £50,000 as the result of the decline in values of 15 per cent. —Australian Press Association. STEVEDORE’S HOME BOMBED. OCCUPANTS ESCAPE INJURY. Melbourne, October 13. Another bomb explosion occurred after midnight at West Brunswick at the home of Mr Thomas Warne, a foreman stevedore, who had just reached home. Neither Warne nor his wife was injured, but the house was greatly damaged. Earlier in the evening a number of strikers bashed in the doors and smashed the windows of the homes of volunteer workers at West Melbourne. Warne was attacked because he was in charge of the volunteer gang at the Victoria docks.—Australian Press Association. CRISIS APPROACHING. IMPORTANT CONFERENCE TO-DAY. (Rec. 12.50 a.m.) Sydney, October 14. A crisis on the waterfront is approaching. The shipowners again refused to meet representatives of the Australian and New Zealand Council of Trade Unions explaining that the Transport Act was not open for discussion. Strike leaders are in a quandary owing to lack of unity among the maritime workers at various ports, and a last desperate attempt to bring matters to a head will be made to-morrow with a conference of wharf labourers and seamen in Melbourne which will presently be the storm centre. The outcome of this conference is awaited eagerly in Sydney where work is proceeding smoothly.—Australian Press Association.