ACTIVITY ON WATERFRONT.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19180, 10 December 1927, Page 15

ACTIVITY ON WATERFRONT.

CREWS SIGN ON-

END OF DISPUTE,

(BI CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPTRIGHT.) (AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.)

(Received December 9th, 9.10 p.m.)

SYDNEY, December 9

The crews of a number of steamers which could not be assembled yesterday signed on to-day. 'J here is tremendous activity everywhere on the waterfront, where everything is proceeding smoothly.

The Rona dispute is settled, the men being remanded for a week under a proviso that no action be taken against them if the steamer sailed in the meantime with a full crew. The men signed an agreement to that effect.

No difficulty was experienced in securing labour to work the Union Company's steamer, Kiwitea, the cargo of which was declared "black" during the strike because it was loaded by the employees of the Zinc Company at Risdon. The cargo was discharged yesterday, and the- vessel will sail on Moudav.

The Kakariki, which was held up at Melbourne for a similar reason, also was worked.

At the meeting of the Labour Council members complained that the leaders of the wharf labourers had declared the recent strike without consulting officials of tho associated unions, the majority of whose members were throw*, out ot work through tho stoppage.

The Council resolved to ask the Australasian Council of Trade Unions to convene a conference of transport unions, with a view to obviating independent strikes. The Council also decided to ask the members of all affiliated unions not to work overtime in order that some of the unemployed might be absorbed.

INCALCULABLE LOSS. (AUSTBALIAN AND H.Z. CABLJ ASSOCIATION.) MELBOURNE, December 9. The latest estimate of the strike cost to shipowners is at least £300,000, of which the inter-State owners' share is £IOO,OOO. The loss to the country as a whole is incalculable.