STEAMERS BEING MANNED

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1928, Page 9

STEAMERS BEING MANNED

PLENTY OF LABOUR OFFERS COOKS WANT OLD AWARD OWNERS WILL NOT AGREE} By Telegraph—Press Assn —C. pyrlglit. Received June 11, 9.45 p.m. Australian Press Association. Sydney, June 11. There v.rs a ready response in Sydney to to-day s call for free cooks to man steamers, fifty applying. Some demonstration occurred when the master of the Mildura sought seamen, the unionists jeering him and engaging in a hunt for non-unionists, some of whom were thrown out of the doore by enraged sympathisers of the cooks. Five hundred men answered the call for free labour for the ships at Melbourne, and at Brisbane the cooks informed the shipowners that they were prepared to go to southern ports to man the galleys. Following a meeting to day of the marine transport group, the cooks’ decision was announced that they w/re prepared to man all ships immediately on the terms of the suspended award, leaving the original cause of the dispute —the manning of the Ulimaroa—for later discussion if the owners desire it. It is understood tho cooks’ terms do not include the abolition of the roster system. The owners declare that the cooks’ offer is simply a red herring. Men continued to offer for work on the Mildura, though finding it difficult in face of the onlooking unionists and jeering men. It is expected the ship will complete her erew this evening and will get away early to-morrow morning for Brisbane.

The latest Melbourne report states that a conference of the maritime unions this afternoon proposed that the cooks be given 24 hours to man the ships. Air. S. M. Bruce, the Australian Prims Minister, has already received an assurance from three State Premiers of complete co-operation in all measures to preserve law and order when the official appeal is made to day for volunteer labour for bilips. Mr. Hogan, Labour Premier of Victoria, has requested Mr. Bruce to take” steps to bring about a compulsory conference of the disputants.