GENERAL STRIKE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 284, 4 December 1935, Page 7

GENERAL STRIKE

AUSTRALIAN SEAMEN MASS MEETINGS DECIDE OFFICIALS HOWLED DOWN GOVERNMENT MAY ACT [By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright! Received Dee. 3, 8* p.m. SYDNEY, Dec. 3. A general strike with a complete dislocation of Australian shipping- was begun. A mass meeting of seamen at Sydney and Melbourne today overwhelmingly rejected the new award. The Sydney seamen heavily defeated a motion by the general secretary, Mr. Jacob Johnson, that the award should be accepted pending the holding of a plebiscite for acceptance or rejection of the award. Over a thousand men attended a stop-work meeting- in the basement of the Sydney Town Hail and the discussion at times was extremely acrimonious. The officials, anxious for peace, impressed on the men that the new award had many advantages not hitherto enjoyed, but they were repeatedly howled down. Dears are now expressed that the waterside workers, whose award is due for revision, may join the seamen. The Niagara, which arrived yesterday, made a call for whjii'f labourers to-day, but no men responded. . After nearly two hours’ discussion the Melbourne branch of the .Seamen’s Union passed a resolution rejecting the new award and directing every member of the union on the ships in port immediately to give 24 hours’ notice. Members on all other ships will do likewise when they reach their home port. About 250 were present and the resolution was carried by an overwhelming majority despite the vigorous opposition of the federal president, Mr. W. Clarke. The shipowners are introducingvolunteers and there is a probability of the Federal Government instituting a licensing system under the Transport Workers’ Act. The Melbourne decision means that Tasmania will become isolated except for one day, a weekly service being provided by the oversea liners under the recent amendment in the Navigation Act. At Canberra, the Prime Minister convened a special Cabinet meeting this afternoon to discuss the strike, and important developments arc expected this evening. QUESTION IN PARLIAMENT DR. EARLE PAGE'S REPLY CANBERRA, Doe. 2. Replying to a question in the House of Representatives, Acting Primo Minister (Dr. Earle Page) said that the Government had no intention of immediately intervening in the shipping dispute, but was carefully watching the position. It would not hesitate to use its power if the trouble showed signs of continuing. EIGHTEEN VESSELS IDLE SYDNEY, Dec. 3. Fourteen vessels in Sydney and four in Newcastle are now involved in th’e shipping strike, their crews, totalling 1929, being idle.