THE AUSTRALIAN SHIPPING DISPUTE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20150, 19 May 1928, Page 6

THE AUSTRALIAN SHIPPING DISPUTE

'pHE DIRECTION which impending developments will take

in the shipping situation in Australia arising out of the procedure of the marine cooks in resorting to direct action against the Huddart-Parker Company remains somewhat uncertain. The Inter-State shipowners are adopting a firm policy in the hope of bringing the position to a head. The crews of additional vessels have been paid off, and it is anticipated that this may have a decisive effect in ending the present deadlock at least. The ship-owners have not disclosed all their plans, but it is suggested that the effect of their action will be either to bring the country face to face with a far-reaching strike or put an abrupt termination to the efforts of the marine cooks to secure job control. According to fairly recent information derived from trade union sources, officials of other maritime unions are not desirous of a widespread clash with ship-owners at the present time, and have been doing their best to prevent the trouble from spreading. By the suspension on March 4 by Mr Justice Dethridge of the award governing the Marine Cooks’ Union the ship-owners were freed of any obligation in respect of Ihe unemployment of members of the union. They have now apparently completed their plan of campaign, and are putting its efficacy to the test. The public will be deeply interested in the upshot. Very heavy losses are already due to the deadlock, which has caused vessels to be laid up one after another, and is now in its third month, the measure of consequent unemployment has been steadily increasing. If the Inter-State ship-owners can manage to convince those who are attempting to dictate to them once and for all that the objective of job control, which is a cause of so much maritime trouble, is beyond their reach, the issue of the struggle which was precipitated over the question of the manning of the gallery of the Ulimaroa will be. of benefit to the whole community. “There is no doubt,” said the chairman of directors of the Huddart Parker Company in a recent statement, “that behind the present marine unrest there is a foreign influence. Foreign gold is financing the men who arc fomenting the disturbances, and foreign gold is financing the unions when their members are out of employment. The establishment of an International Seamen’s Club in Sydney, and attempts to form a similar club in Melbourne, show to what extent Communists are active. Foreign labour agitators appeal’ determined to secure a footing in the councils of the unions, with the intention of ousting the more moderate section. A temporary settlement is of no use. Although a strike is bad for everybody there is no doubt that if shipowners were given a free hand in a waterfront disturbance they would win ‘hands down’ and there would be peace for many years.”