BRITISH SEAMEN EMULATE GERMANS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19434, 21 October 1925, Page 7

BRITISH SEAMEN EMULATE GERMANS

r COMPULSORY CONFERENCE FAILS MR JUSTICE POWERS’ STRONG APPEAL TO STRIKERS By Telegraph—Per Press Assn. —Copyright Received October 20. 8.45 D.m. SYDNEY. Oct. 20. When the compulsory conference to consider the British seamen’s strike met again to-day. the seam- n’s representatives reiterated th<«r intention not to negotiate until a’l imprisoned strikers are **•*'. As they also Would *'£?.•." 1?t th-rir Cf'i'm:' for COB»iderr.t*on by the Arbitration Court rn view of th.** shipowners’ refusal to help them to secure the release of their imprisoned comrades, Mr Justice Powers nni-ble to refer the matter into the rr’trt and consider it in the usual way. Tbo conference therefore proved abortive. Statement iy the Judge. Mr Justice Powers, in a lengthy Statement, suggested that the men ■•'viuW go back to their ships and retrrn t--. "England, relying on their pow?r.'ni nr-.ion there to secure full con-sht.-ration of their claims. He pointed out that the shipping company’s representatives had refused to consider the mon *s claims because they had refused duty, and also because the owners could not’ pay the rates demanded without " paving the same rates in other parts of the world. By dishonouring their agreement the men would lose the sympathy of the public both here and in England. and sta.l for the first time as British seamer, vho had treated their articles an I their bond as Germany treated Belgium’s “scrap of paper.” This was not British. They should not accept the advice of those who had advised them for the advisers’ own interest and not for the men’s benefit. He felt it his duty as a eoueilator to put the case before the men so ’hat ’hey mav end the strike, "they had been sadly misled in taking up and maintaining the position they had. Whoever had suggested the condition that the imprisoned men should be released before the strikers negotiated or returned to work was a very clever opponent of conciliation or arbitration.