SHIPPING DISPUTE

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17351, 16 May 1924, Page 10

SHIPPING DISPUTE

ALLEGED CONSPIRACY. e By Telegraph—Pres* Association—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. SYDNEY, May 15. The hearing lias commenced of charges of alleged conspiracy, against nine union officials. Captain Hollis, marine superintendent of the Commonwealth and Do. minion Line, gave evidence that he had received a message from the captain of the Port Lyttelton at Laun cost on, stating that the crew refused to take the vessel to sea unless they received a bonus of £2O, as they claimed the ship was unseaworthy. Witness later attended a meeting of dock officials and members of the transport group at Cockatoo Island, and related the owners’ side of the dispute in connection with the Port Lyttelton and Port Curtis. Then Heffron. secretary of ■‘•he Marine Stewards’ Union, speaking for the transport group, said they would not touch the

ships until the men on the Port Curtis had been released and warrants against the men on the Port Lyttelton withdrawn.

Cross-examined, Captain Hollis said that after the Port Lyttelton went aground at Launceston in January, they, put to sea in a vessel making 100 tons of water hourly, but he claimed that- the vesel was seaworthy.

At the meeting at Cockatoo. Island, witness asked Falkingliam. of tiie Boilermakers’ Union, whether men had agreed to take the Port Lyttelton t» sea for n bonus of £2O, and Falkingliam replied by asking whether witness had not known of cases of men taking coffin ships to sea for a considerable increase in pay.