PARTIES CONFER

Southland Times, Issue 22012, 11 May 1933, Page 7

PARTIES CONFER

MARITIME DISPUTE POSSIBILITY OF A SETTLEMENT BRIGHTER OUTLOOK (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, May 10. An official announcement that there were high hopes of a satisfactory settlement of the shipping dispute was made this evening upon the adjournment, until to-morrow morning, of the committee which has been sitting as a result of the conference between the interested parties. CREW RETURN STEAMER TEES. INSTRUCTIONS OF UNION. (Per United Press Association.) Christchurch, May 10. Acting under what are understood to be imperative instructions from the Executive of. the Seamen’s Union in Wellington, the crew of the steamer Tees left Lyttelton by train to-day for Dunedin where they rejoined the vessel to-night. The ship is expected at Lyttelton on Friday. The crew left the ship at Dunedin on Saturday and were paid off. The owners of the vessel had agreed to continue running under the old rates of pay and conditions, but the men apparently acted in sympathy with the crews of other ships. Most of the men belong to Lyttelton and the Tees is on the Lyttelton articles. A MONTH IN GAOL UNIONIST FACES ASSAULT CHARGE. (Per United Press Association.) Christchurch, May 10. There was a large attendance at the Lyttelton Court to-day when William Evans, acting delegate for the Seamen’s Union at Lyttelton, was charged with assaulting Arthur Johnson. Johnson gave evidence that he was accosted by a stranger at Lyttelton and asked if he were looking for work. He answered no and then the stranger persuaded him to go to the shipping office. The place he was taken to was the seamen’s meeting room. Some of the men made at him after the stranger had said: “Here you are; here is a dot.” He ran away but was set upon and hit and kicked. The accused hit him several blows. Evans was sentenced to a month’s gaol. CHARGES OF ASSAULT SEAMEN FINED. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, May 10. Two seamen, Cyril James Sinclair, aged 27, and Adolph Frederick Hansen were each fined £5 at the Magistrate’s Court to-day for assaulting a taxidriver. Found in possession of a sawn-off billiard cue as he was leaving the wharf Terence Walsh Flynn, a seaman, aged 22, was charged with being found with a weapon with felonious intent. He elected to be'tried by a jury and was committed for trial. On the application of the police Robert Adams, a seaman, aged 30, was remanded for a week on a charge of assault. Tire police stated trouble had arisen in connection with the strike and it was alleged the accused had gone into a restaurant and had hit his victim with a plate. SUPPLIES SCARCE SUGAR AND POTATOES. GISBORNE’S POSITION. (Per United Press Association.) Gisborne, May 10. Sugar and potatoes, normally held in moderate supply in Gisborne, are becoming scarce owing to the interruption of shipments. Flour is still plentiful, but it is calculated that a two weeks’ stoppage of supplies would result in stringency. The community is now safe from acute famines in quick moving provision lines such as were threatened periodically before overland communications were completed, but at the most overland transport will place a severe handicap on the district if the shipping trouble continues long. POSITION AT AUCKLAND LITTLE CHANGE. (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, May 10. There is little change in the shipping position to-day. Both parties are awaiting the outcome of the Wellington conference. One more of the Northern Company’s fleet has been paid off. The crew of the ship Coronation left here yesterday and her owners, who have not previously been affected by the dispute, state that her next sailing is indefinite. THE MAUNGANUI ARRIVAL AT SYDNEY. NO TROUBLE ANTICIPATED. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) Sydney, May 10. Officials of the marine organizations in Sydney are emphatic that there will be no dispute on the waterfront arising out of the shipping trouble in New Zealand. Tire Maunganui will be unloaded in the usual course, and will be able to sail to schedule. A special meeting of the Seamen’s Union is l being held at the Mechanics’ Institute at Miller’s Point this morning to discuss what action should be taken, if any, regarding the Maunganui. During the first two days out the Maunganui had very rough weather, and the volunteer crew and stewards suffered considerably from sickness. The passengers made the best of the conditions and all arrived well. PASSENGERS’ APPRECIATION. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 7.45 p.m.) Sydney, May 10. Officials of the Union Steam Ship Company here declare that there is not the slightest trouble in handling the cargo of the Maunganui. Everything is normal. A lone Communist attempted, to address waterside workers after the vessel’s arrival to-day, but was immediately hauled off the soap box and arrested. There was no other incident of any character. • The first saloon passengers prior to the vessel’s arrival addressed a letter to Captain Toten expressing great appreciation of the splendid efforts of the ship’s staff in providing the maximum comfort and service under trying conditions. It is anticipated that the Maunganui will sail to scheduled time to-morrow. A later message states that the passengers of the Maunganui were loud in their praise for the assistance rendered by twenty naval ratings of the ships

Dunedin, Diomede and Philomel who were en route to Flinders Island naval base to undergo training. One rating bathed six babies whose parents were too ill to perform the task. All the ratings volunteered to assist at the tables and in the galley when the others went down with seasickness. Another volunteer, an unemployed Pressman, remarked on his arrival that it took a newspaperman to make a really smart steward. SEAMEN’S UNION FORBIDS WORK. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 11.5 p.m.) Sydney, May 10. The Seamen’s Union passed a resolution forbidding any member engaging for work on the Maunganui While volunteer labour is employed.