HOPES FOR SETTLEMENT

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 240, 11 May 1933, Page 5

HOPES FOR SETTLEMENT

SHIPPING DISPUTE

Conference at Wellington

CREW REJOIN STEAMER

Press Association—Cqpvright Wellington, May 10

The 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 the result of a conference between the interested parties.

Acting under what are understood to be imperative instructions from the executive of the Seamen's Union at Wellington the crew of the steamer Tees left Lyttelton by train to-day for Dunedin, where they rejoin;, i (he vessel to-night. The ship is expected at Lyttelton on Friday. The crew left the ship at Dunedin en Saturday and was 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 Lyttelton articles.

Between 45 and 50 ships are now affected by the strike in New Zealand ports. At Wellington 19 or 20 ships are idle, at Auckland there are over 12, at Dunedin 3, at Lyttelton 3, at Greymouth 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.

Two seamen, Cyril James Sinclair, freged 27, and Adolph Frederick Hansen, j were each fined £5 in the Magistrate's 1 Court to-day for assaulting a taxi-driver I as he was leaving the wharf. They were I found in possession of a sawn-off billiard I cue.

Terence Walsh Flynn, seaman, aged 22, was charged with being found with a weapon with felonious intent. He elected to be tried by jury and was committed for trial.

On the application of the police Robert Adams, seaman, aged 30, was remanded for a week on a charge of assault. The police stated that the charge had arisen in connection with the strike. It was alleged that Adams had gone into a restaurant and had hit the victim with a plate.

NO TROUBLE ON MAUNGANUI

EVERYTHING NORMAL Press Association. —Copyright. Sydney, May 10. Union Steamship Company officials here declare there is not the slightest trouble in handling the cargo of the Maunganui and everything is normal. A lone Communist attempted to address waterside workers after the vessel's arrival to-day, but was immediately hauled off his soapbox and arrested. There was no other incident of any character. 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 the Maunganui will sail to scheduled time to-morrow. The passengers are loud in their praise of the assistance rendered by 20 naval ratings of the ships Dunedin, Diomede and Philomel who were en route to the Flinders Islan*- 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 whea others went down with sea-sickness. Another volunteer, an unemployed pressman, remarked on his arrival: "It takes a newspaperman to make a really smart steward." The Seamen's Union passed a resolution forbidding any member engaging for work on the Maunganui while volunteer labour is employed.

MAHIA CREW BEFORE COURT

Press Association —Copyright Wellington, May 10,

Thirty members of the crew of the Mania appeared before Mr. E. Page, S.M., this afternoon, nine being charged with wilful disobedience of commands and 21 with being absent without leave. Mr. Leary for the Shaw, Savill Company, outlined the case. When the Mahia was a week off New Zealand, he said, an altercation occurred between a seaman named Winters and the boatswain, eventually leading to blows, and blood was drawn on Winters' face. After they had been separated Winters leapt overboard.

When the vessel arrived at New Plymouth an investigation was made and the conclusion was reached that the boatswain was not responsible for Winters' death. No charge had been brought. Since leaving New Plymouth the crew had decided not to work the vessel unless the boatswain was removed. The vessel arrived at Wellington on Friday and on Monday the crew deputationed the captain, who refused their request for the removal of the boatswain. He gave permission for the men to go ashore and get advice. Subsequently some of the crew refused work ordered by the boatswain. When the ship was taken into the stream seven seamen and a number of firemen left.

Captain Andrews gave evidence on these lines. The accused men in evidence said that from the day they left London the boatswain was "getting on to Winters," calling him terrible names. The boatswain goaded him into striking him.

The captain said he thought the boatswain had been condemned unjustly. He thought Winters suffered from mental j weakness. Answering Mr. Ongley he said he had a right to transfer the boatswain to another vessel, but he Was averse to do this as he had been with him on five deep-sea trips and had found him satisfactory. "I never refused an order," said one witness, "only from the boatswain. We are all willing to go back provided the boatswain is put out. We had no complaint against the captain." At the conclusion of the evidence Mr. Ongley for the men said he had nothing to say regarding the merits of the case. The accused were apparently an honest body of men. Believing that the boatswain goaded Winters to his death, they preferred imprisonment or deportation rather than to sail with him,

The magistrate said he would give his decision in the morning. When the inquiry was held at New Plymouth last week the only statement made was that the depositions would be forwarded to the Marine Department.

TROUBLE UNLIKELY TO SPREAD TO AUSTRALIA

Press Association—Copyright. Received Today, 2 p.m. Melbourne, Today. Officials of the Waterside Workers' Federation regard as remote the possibility of Australian watei'side workers becoming involved in the New Zea* land shipping dispute. . No official intimation of the trouble has yet been received by the union. It is contended that the New Zealand unionists had a better chance of success by confining the dispute to the smallest area possible.

PROPOSALS FOR CONFERENCE

Consideration by Seamen Wellington, Today. Proposals from the conference of representatives of Shipowners, the Alliance of Labour, and the Cooks' and Stewards' Union were considered at a meeting of the Seamen's Union this morning, and it is understood these proposals are being considered at meetings of the Seamen's Union at Auckland and Lyttelton today and Dunedin tomorrow. No announcement is probable until the results of all meetings are known.

OWNER'S TERMS NOT ACCEPTED

DISPUTE ON MAHIA Demand for Clean Discharges Refused by Company SOME OFFENDERS SENT TO GAOL Press Association —Copyright Wellington, Today. Members of the-" Mania's' crew this morning refused to accept the owners' terms. When the court case was concluded the owners offered to pay off or transfer ths boatswain with whom the crew refused to sail. The men stated they would willingly return to the ship on condition that the master would guarantee that they would not be given black discharges when they reached London. This guarantee was refused by th e company. I Counsel for the company said after yesterday's court proceedings, the I boatswain told the captain that, in ! view of what had happened, he did not wish to sail and was willing to bo transferred or paid off. The magistrate said the men evidently, considered the boatswain might have contributed to Winter's suicide. This matter was now under inquiry by the police. Winter had previously rtlc-mpted suicide, an attempt not connected with this boatswain. The ch n'ges of dis•obedience had been proved, but, lie would give the men an opportunity to return to the ship. The court, then adjourned for consultation, after which th-> crew's counsel raised the question of clemi discharges. The company's counsel said the guarantees were impossible to give. After some discussion all the crew refused to return to the ship and seven men guilty of wilful disobedience were sentenced to seven days iff gaol and the others were ordered to two days' pay for absence withi out leave.