Official Returns.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 90, 7 April 1914, Page 5

Official Returns.

AN ECHO OF THE STRIKE. MARINE ENGINEERS' BALLOT. [P»e Press A«booiation.] Wellington, April 7. The Secretary of the New Zealand branch of the Australian Institute of Marine Engineers has received a cablegram from the head office of the Institute at Melbourno giving the official result of the ballot on the proposed expulsion of the New Zealand members. The figures are:— For severance , ... ••• '*" Against severance ... H 63 Majority against ... ••• 421 The result of the ballot in New Zealand on severance was: — Against 406 For ' ••• 8 Majority against ... ••• 3*98 The above is the result of the ballot taken on 31st March by all members who were financial on that date. Members of the Sydney branch alleged that some members of the New Zealand branch broke the following rule during the recent strike: "In labor disturbances, except where the safety of the ship is endangered, members unless otherwise instructed by the Institute must remain strictly neutral, that is to say, they must not handle cargo and manually assist in keeping up stoam, work the winches, or in any way take the placo of unskilled labor." Accordingly, a ballot was taken of nil the members of the Institute, including New Zealand, on the question whether Australia ,sbould sever connection with the New Zealand branch, and the result has been to negative tho proposed severance. During and after tho strike a charge jwas made against the New Zealand members that they had acted as firemen. This was denied, the contention bpi.ig that although extra engineers were carried they \rere simply , there for th( purpose of irastructing fiiemen.