THE SHIPPING DEADLOCK.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16418, 11 January 1919, Page 9

THE SHIPPING DEADLOCK.

CONCESSIONS TO THE MEN. (By Cab'e. PrcM —CopTT'F^t-) SYDNEY, January 10. The manager of the Union Company states that, although nothing definite has been rooeived from tho New Zealand office, it is probable that the company will offer the men the insurance demand, and also pay full wages to any members of a ship's crew contracting influenza. A SETTLEMENT PROBABLE. (Received January 11th, 1.50 a.m.) f SYDNEY, January 10. Though there have been no definite developments in the shipping trouble, the position to-night is considered more promising. The secretarv of the Seamen s TJnion states that an offer has been mado to the Union Company, and an early reply is expected. On behalf of the company, "the announcement is nw-lc that messages are passing between Sydney and the head/ office, but it is understood nothing definite will bo done beforo to-morrow. The Kia Ora and Ihumata were today added to tho list of ships liung up. The indications are that unless a settlement is reached in the meantime, tho Niagara's crew will leave her tomorrow. STRANDED NEW ZEALANDERS IN SYDNEY.

SOME OF THEIIt EXPERIENCES. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLANI>, January 10. Fifty Now Zealanders who have boon . strandocl in Sydney for nearly two < months, as a result of the shipping diffi- ' culties, returned to Auckland yester- ; day by the Port Lyttelton. About 12 < of the passengers belong to Auckland, ] and the others to Wellington and the ' South Island. Of the number return- , ing, nine were women, who, when inter- j viewed, all expressed their deep .Thank- ] fulness at having succeeded in reaching i home at last. Several of them had teen detained in Sydnov since the beginning of November, and owing to financial : difficulties and domestic anxiety, had 1 experienced a most trying and altogether unenviable time. To add to their worries word was received by two : or three of them that members of their \ families in New Zealand had been stricken with influenza, and one mo- 1 ther, while unsuccessfully endeavouring to return home, received news of the death of her son. "One thing I would particularly like to mention is the splendid way in which I the men helped us," said one woman passenger. "I do not know what we would have done without'them | for they formed a committee and interviewed the J shipping companios and the authorities, and did everything in their power to help us. There were about 300 New Zealanders altogether in Sydney, and wo soon became acquainted with one another through meeting at the shipping office; trying to get passages. We met nearly every day, while waiting and hoping against hope that we would soon be able to leave.' I myself reached. Sydney on November 4th, intending to return by the Moeraki on November 14th. We went straight into quarantime, however, and had to stay there a week, and before wo were allowed out the Hiverina and the Niagara had left, and there was no hope of getting another boat. A few left by the Port Sydney, which reached Wliakatane a little while ago, but the rest of us had to stay on." Other passengers also spoke appreciatively of the help rendered by Messrs Beveridge, Andrews, and Simpson, of Wellington, who organised a New Zealanders' Committee, and who were also passengers by the Port Lyttelton. IN FINANCIAL STRAITS. (special to "the press.") AUCKLAND, January 10. Interesting acoounts are given by the Port Lyttelton's passengers of the meeting of ZOO stranded New Zealanders held at the New Zealand Government Agent's office in Sydney on January 2nd. The room was packed to suffocaction, and many of those present were bordering on a state of exasperation and despair. The passages outside wero also crowded with men, some of whom shouted aloud their protests against the shiuping company and the seamen. During the meeting one of those present asked a question regarding the Makura, which ho stated would be leaving that afternoon.. This intimation immediately created something of a sensation. "Why, the manager of the Union Company told me only this morning that the Makura's departure had been indefinitely postponed," 'exclaimed ono lady indignantly, "and that I could go off * to the mountains for a week at least." The Makura is still at Sydney. It was finally arranged that some of the passengers should leave the follow- ■ ing day- by the Port Lyttelton. and others by the troopship Durham. A difficulty arose with regard to the latter ship, however, inasmuch as she" was due to remain at Brisbane for about four days before leaving for New Zealand. Some 50 girls and women who had secured passages were thus placed) in an aAvkward position, having spent all their money while waiting for a vessel, and being therefore unable to meet this extra financial strain. Representatives of these passengers accordingly waited on Mr Hay, secretary of the New South Wales Premior's Department, who gave an assurance that iS any of the women needed financial help, the State would provide it. He also promised to telegraph to the Queenslaud Government asking that arrangements be made for housing them as economically as possible during their enforced stay in Brisbane. The Rev. father Bartley, of Wellington, Chaplain to tho N.Z. Forces, who went to Australia in October on furlough, and has since been delayed in , Sydney, was among the passengers by itlio Port Lyttelton. "There were un- ; doubtedly cases of distress among the New Zealanders in Sydney who were unable to get back to the Dominion," he said; "m fact I know of several instances in which people, in order to. have ready 'money with which to pay their board, had to ask the Union Strain Ship Company to refund the money lodged for their fares. In three or four cases women, in order to keep themselves during the delay, had to go out and act as charwomen in Sydney. The financial dis- ! tress, however, was really a minor' ■ side of case. Picture the position '■ of one woman I know of, who received news that her children in Christchurch ■ wore suffering from influenza, and ' only heard vaguely that they had been taken in hand by friends. Naturally ! she was worrying,, and spent a most ; distressful time awaiting an opportn-. nity to get back to New Zealand. Then i 1 there was the case of a father whose! only son was ill in New Zealand, and; died before the father could return." 1 "It seems strange," said another passenger, "that there is no official place in Sydney where help could be obtained in a situation such as that in which we were placed. One would have thought that, for instance, tne New Zealand Government's agent 1i

would have been in a P? s *f*° n , vauce moiiev to New Zeauuide cau.mg to tile Dominion tor iuu^ s ' this he said lie was unable to do. lor anr cablegrams such as that w ~ to'the Auiug-Piiiro Minister of New Zealand, we had to send around the hat among our stives to make up i money. The New Soutn Wales Gmernment. however, was v<j ry s - ? % 7 thetic, and although it had no authority in tho matter, it used a c persuasive powers both Wlt h e and the Union Steam Ship Company. Several of the passengers, in relating their experiences stated that during the last few weeks in S\cln y, thev were haunting the office of Union Company at all hours of thc day. I; On an average, said one passenger, ''we paid about three visits a day to the Union Company. Wo were unable to leave the city even to go for a tram run into the suburbs as we never knew when there bo something fresh in connexion ltli tno shipping deadlock. Wo offered to pay the crew of the Moeraki the extia amount required to bring their wages up to the amount they were demanding—£l a day—but we were unable.to make this arrangement." . Lots were drawn for the last eight berths in the Port Lyttelton. A GLOOMT OUTLOOK. (press association telegram.) AUCKLAND, January 10. A cable message was received from Sydnev to-day bv an Auckland resident, in which a New Zealander at present on a visit to Australia stated, inter alia, "Over 100 New Zealanders are stranded here. Some aie absolutely without money. Tliero is no sign of the Makura getting away ror some weoks, and we feel sure that the Government does not know the true position. Unless the disputo is settled urgently. I predict extensive industrial troubles. The position is delicate."