SHIPOWNERS WITHDRAW

Taranaki Daily News, 14 October 1929, Page 11

SHIPOWNERS WITHDRAW

MARITIME CONFERENCE CRISIS. OBJECTION TO REPRESENTATIVES. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Geneva, Oct. , 11. A breakdown of the international Aiaritime conference is threatened owing to the attitude of British' shipowners in continuing to boycott- the conference as a protest against. Mr. Ben Tillett’s representing the seambiiCaptain Free has been refused I ’a scat on the hours’ committee owing to the probability of his voting for eight hours. This is observed in Australia, but would not suit' European maritime countries. After heated discussions and several adjournments, the conference, by 54 votes to 24, rejected the shipowners’ resolution-; protesting because the seamen’s; delegates were appointed by the Trades Union Council instead of the Seamen’s Union. . Thereafter the shipowners’delegates of all nations withdrew from the conference.

Thirty-one countries are represented by 102 delegates and 152 advisbrs at the conference, which was called by th© League of Nations chiefly to consider the possibility of applying the Washington Eight-Hour Convention to seamen.

British shipowners refused to be represented because they were dissatisfied with the British delegation. This they said was not representative. Th© only claim of Mr. Ben Tillett, M.P., to‘act as a British delegate, they contended, was that he once was a dock labourer. Other shipowners passed a resolution associating themselves' with the British protest;' ■ Dr. Eduardo Aunos, Spanish Minister ©f Labo-ur, was elected president of the conference and Mr. Tillett vice-presi-dent.