SHIPPING DISPUTE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 31 December 1927, Page 5

SHIPPING DISPUTE.

SEAMEN AND OWNERS. ; I • ' ’ , . ;Lc A SERIOUS TURN. I . . Press Association-Electric Telegraph-Copyright SYDNEY, Friday.' Trouble has arisen out of the decision of the seamen to hold a stop-work meeting on "Wednesday without the sanction of the owners. Under the Navigation Act. it is provided that men absent from a ship without leave shall have two days’ pay deducted from their wages. The owners are taking steps to enforce that provision. Light members of the crew of the Australian United Steam Navigation Company’s steamer Maekarra gave notice on Wednesday and left the vessel yesterday.

The dispute between the shipowners and the seamen over the stopwork meeting took a serious turn when., the call was made for the crew for the steamer Maekarra. There was no response, and the owners tied the vessel up indefinitely. Similar trouble was experienced 'when the owners of the steamer Saros called for a crew, and the cargo of that vessel was transferred to another steamer of the same line. Although the outlook is gloomy, the seamen being determined on reprisals, so far there is no suggestion of the passenger steamers in port becoming immediately involved.

DISMISSED STEWARDS. SYDNEY, Friday. In accordance with the usual procedure, the entire crew of the steamer Morcton Bay signed off at the conclusion of their engagements. All hands were re-engaged, except sixty stewards who refused to serve luncheon at the Balmain Regatta on Monday. The dismissed stewards subsequently held a meeting, at which it was decided to make representations to have the men reinstated. Officials of the Stewards’ Union interviewed the management, but the demand for reinstatement was refused. A member of the Commonwealth Shipping Board stated that if other stewards refused the oft'er for engagement today, the directors would have no option but to pay off the crew and lay the vessel up. -

MORETON BAY LAID UP. ■(Received Saturday, 11.0 a.m.) - SYDNEY', This Day. The steamer Morcton Bay will bo laid up as the stewards’ union refuse to supply men to till the places of the dismissed stewards. ' Queensland passengers and cargo are being transhipped. It is stated that if the dispute is not settled when the vessel is due to sail for London on January 14, the departure will have to be postponed. .The general opinion at the Trades Hall is that the men in refusing duty at ;the luncheon acted rashly, and against the advice of their officials. The majority of them repent their action and would welcome their positions back.