FIVE STEAMERS IDLE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19862, 27 July 1934, Page 8

FIVE STEAMERS IDLE

SEAMEN DECLINE TO ACCEPT IT By Telegraph—Press Association DUNEDIN, July 26. For the fir~t time in several years there was a general hold-up of shipping at Dunedin to-day. The crews of all the vessels in port were involved, and it is not possible to forecast the end of the dispute which will probably have a far-reaching effect. The dispute concerns the conditions of the new seamen’s a ; -cement, the old agreement having expired on May 31. It is understood that the crews are not prepared t • accept the conditions of the new agreement, and that the men are demanding the restoration of the wage cut. Sailings Cancelled. Five vessels were affected up to 7 p.m. to-day. These were the Wairuna, Waipiata, Totara, Storm and Parera. All these ships were listed to sail to-day for various ports, but all are still at the wharves. The Wairuna finished unloading cargo from Vancouver on Wednesday evening, and was timed to sail at daybreak to-day for Melbourne and Sydney. The Waipiata, which arrived on Wednesday morning from Auckland and East Coast ports discharged a large cargo, the watersiders working until a late hour on Wednesday night. She was ready to sail at 11 p.m. for Bluff. The Wai piata is carrying, among other cargo, consignments of sugar for Bluff and Timaru. The Totara came to Dunedin this morning from Port Chalmers and loaded freight for Wellington, Nelson, New Plymouth and Westport. The Canterbury Company’s coaster Storm arrived in the morning from Bluff, and after loading was ready to sail this evening for Wellington, Wanganui and New Plymouth, via ports. The coaster Parera, under charter to Messrs Holm and Co., discharged and loaded general freight and was ready to sail to-night for Bluff. The motor vessel Port Whangarei arrived to-night from Auckland and East Coast ports, and her crew will probably be involved in the dispute, in which case the vessel will be held up here indefinitely. The coaster Gale is due to-day from Wellington, and she will also be involved. Abortive Meetings. The crews of the five vessels in port to-day held a meeting on the waterfront in the morning and another in the afternoon. After a fairly long session, the afternoon meeting was adjourned until 3 p.m. to-morrow. It was stated this evening that the cooks and stewards of all ships held up would be persuaded to join the seamen and firemen in the dispute, but this report was not substantiated when inquiries were made in various quarters. The waterside workers are not involved in the dispute, and all vessels arriving will be worked. If the dispute is not settled this week, there is every possibility of other vessels being added to the present, idle fleet.

Officials of the Union Company stated this evening that the Seamen’s Union at main ports decided yesterday to hold a stop-work meeting to consider the proposals of the employers in connection with the new agreement, the old one having expired on May 31.

TROUBLE OVER NEW AGREEMENT