SHIPS STILL IDLE

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 239, 10 May 1933, Page 5

SHIPS STILL IDLE

EFFORTS OF COMMITTEE

ALL-DAY DISCUSSION \ WATERSIDERS MEET OWNERS WHARVES VERY QUIET Press Association —Copyright Wellington, Today. No material change occurred yesterday in the shipping holdup. The committee set up as the result of the conference between the shipowners and the Alliance of Labour, the Seamen’s Union and the Cooks and Stewards’ Union met yesterday morning, during the afternoon, and again last night. They adjourned finally at 9 p.m. but will meet again at 9 o’clock this morning. Nothing of a definite nature resulted from yesterday's meetings.

The waterfront was very quiet yesterday, there being very few vessels, with the exception of the Rangitata, Norfolk and Wanganella. which arc not involved, requiring labour. The Maori. Arahura and Tamahinc arrived without incident, while the Arahu’ra and Maori loft port at the usual times for Nelson and Lyttelton respectively. The only other vessel to arrive, with the exception of tho Wanganella, was the auxiliary scow Echo, which left Wellington last Saturday for Blenheim, with a new crew, and arrived back here early yesterday morning. No cargo was worked on her yesterday, the watersiders refusing to accept engagement.

The only ships due in port today arc the Rangatira, Hawera and auxiliary scow Talisman. The Talisman will not bo affected, but it is probable that the Haw r era will be added to the lengthy list of ships already laid up here. Barricade Erected The Harbour Board yesterday commenced the construction of a very strong barricade on the Thorndon breastwork. There are no gates on that portion of the waterfront, and the barricade is being erected to keep all unauthorised persons off the wharves, the remainder of which can be closed to the public by the closing of the gates at the entrance to each wharf. The waterside workers also mot the employers yesterday. No statement, was made available to the Press, but it is understood -that the meeting discussed the working of ships manned by non-union labour. The watersiders. «n far, have refused to work ships at Wellington and other ports which have not been manned by union crews, and in a few cases vessels whose union crews have been paid off, but no other crews engaged. Number of Ships Affected

Between 45 and 50 ships are now affected by the shipping strike in New Zealand ports. At Wellington some 10 or 20 ships are idle, at Auckland there are over 12, at Dunedin 3. at Lyttelton 3, at Greyomuth 3, and at Westport 5. Well over 1000 seafaring men—sailors, firemen and stewards—have been rendered idle by the strike, having been paid off from ships in various ports of the Dominion. At Wellington alone over 650 men have been paid off from ships that are now idle or that have been manned by other men.

MAUNGANUI AT SYDNEY

Press Association—Copyright Sydney, May 9. The Maunganui will berth at the Darling Harbour Docks upon arrival tomorrow, and the loading operations will depend on the attitude taken by the Seamen’s Union and Waterside Workers’ Federation. The union officials have not made any statement indicating the policy these bodies intend to adopt and are not prepared to indicate whether they intend to support the action of the New Zealand seamen. =V{

TO BE UNLOADED

MAUNGANUI AT SYDNEY Waterfront Trouble Unlikely SHIP WILL SAIL TO SCHEDULE Press Association—Copyright Reed, Today, 9.55 a.m. Sydney, Today Arrived early this morning: Maunganui, from Wellington. Officials of marine organisations in Sydney are emphatic that there will be no dispute on the waterfront arising out of the shipping trouble in New Zealand. The 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 being held in the Mechanics’ Institute at Miller’s Point this morning to discuss what action will !j3 taken, if any, regarding the Maunganui.

Cases Before Court

CHARGES OF ASSAULT Press Associa ti on. —Copyright. Wellington, Today. Two seamen, Cyril James Sinclair (27) and Adolph Frederick Hansen were each fined £5 at the Magistrate’s Court today for assaulting a taxi-driver. Found in possession of a Sawn-off billiard cue as ho was leaving the wharf, Terence Walsh Flynn, a seaman (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 (30), was remanded for a week on a charge of assault. The police stated the 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.