UPROARIOUS SEAMEN.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 256, 28 October 1931, Page 1

UPROARIOUS SEAMEN.

Pandemonium at Meeting in Sydney. NO EXTENSION OF STRIKE. United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received October 28, 11.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, October 28. A mass meeting of seamen in the basement of the Town Hall yesterday ended abruptly in pandemonium. One section dominated by the Reds supported a motion for extension of the strike to all vessels. State and InterState, while another, consisting of moderates, clamoured for resumption of work. Hoots, free fights and violent language prevented anything in the nature of a proper understanding being reached. The chairman, Mr J. Loveday. finally declared the motion extending the strike carried and left the meeting. The moderates repudiated his ruling when uproarious scenes occurred. The substitute chairman, Mr W. Herbert, announced that a further meet* ing would be held to-day, when a further vote w’ould be obtained. Extension Defeated. Later it was ascertained that th« motion to extend the strike was actually defeated by a substantial majority, but the chairman declined to accept the decision. This resulted i is the meeting breaking up in disorder. At Newcastle, a seamen’s meeting decided to continue the shipping strike. At Brisbane it was resolved that the dispute be confined to the liner Canberra, but the men favoured a general strike in the absence of a satisfactory; settlement. At Port Adelaide and Fremantle tha seamen opposed a continuance of tha strike, but awaited the decisions of other States. Melbourne seamen decided to seek a conference with the shipowners concerning the Canberra dispute and to demand restoration of the recent 10 per cent reduction of wages. The passenger liner Orungal sailed yesterday with a full crew. The vessel s departure was effected in the same manner as the Manunda’s on Saturday. The strikers were thus outwitted.

NOT YET FINISHED WITH. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, October 27. “ We got away without a hitch,” said Captain Darroch, master of the Ulima. roa, which arrived to-day from Sydney. “ But I would not like to say the shipping trouble is over yet. There are so many unemployed and Communist agents that it is impossible to say what will happen.”