MR HUGHES AND THE WATERSIDERS.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14843, 8 December 1913, Page 7

MR HUGHES AND THE WATERSIDERS.

POSITION OF THE SEAMEN. STATEMENT BY SIR JAMES MILLS. GOOD WORK AT ALL THE PORTS. CONDITIONS ALMOST NORMAL IN THE NORTH. COAL FROM SOUTH AFRICA.

(By Cable.— Fxr*» Aetocittion—OpvrichU SYDNEY, December 6.

Mr Hughes's cablegram to Mr Massoy hopes that he will uso every influence to persuade the employers to necept arbitration. Ho emphasises that all matters, including the questions of registration, non-registration, preference and non-preference to arbitration unionists, waterside workers and the Federation shall bo embraced in tho proposal, and bo decided by tho arbitrator. Tho Union Company's staff is steadily unloading tho Karitane and Toftia. The timber trade is now included in the "black list." The wharf labourers have refused to unload tho Ingn. Stringent measures are to be taken to overcome the men's defianco of tho conference's order to work cor*tain boats. Mr Hughes, as president of tho Watersido Workers' Federation, has served formal notice on the secretary of the local branch to instruct members to do the required work, and to direct tho executive officers to attend at the wharves and afford all necessary protection to those prepared to carry out the work. Any members refusing to obey or interfering with others shall forthwith be suspended. This applies to members of all unions involved. Prior to tho issue of this ukase, tho employers asked tho wharf labourers' officials themselves to work the boats, but they declined to do so.