TRADE UNION SUPPORT.

Chronicle (Levin), 3 May 1947, Page 5

TRADE UNION SUPPORT.

AUCKLAND, May 2. Trade uniori suppPrt t:5r fhe fafirigs ab'sfent Without lfeave from ihe exutis'fei Bellona h'ris crystalfised iintri a rfequfest by the Labourers' TTnion to the Miirts'tfer of Defence for the diSpute to be' plaCfed in thfe same catfegOry as that of ' the Philcnnel men, so fhat thfe Bellori'a ratirigs can be given the optifen of - taking their dischargfe. The request -was forwarded to the Minister thrOUgh thfe sfecretarv of the 1 Fe'deratioh of" LabPur (Mr. K. McL; ■ iBaxter); who' replffed to tlie Labourers! ' ■ rjtfiflfn today. that Mr. .Tones had said tlxat the Bellona men wfere in a difEerfent eategox'y from the Philomel rating.4 becausfe .thev had had nn opportxi.uity pf seeing the new rates of pay and condi tions, and of making representatioas, if i necessarv. A spokesman for the Bellona rafingS } said todav that their case is iri the same eategory as that bf the Prrilomfel nien, because the only faefor prevent ing th.ferix taking simultariefeuS , acfion with the PhilorheT ratings was thaf. tlie 'Bellona was iri AtistraHrin Watfer'S at thfe tiriie, and thfey dfefeidfed, through a sensfe of loyalty, to bring the Belloria homfe beforfe t.akirig any actiori. Thfey feO'ritend that thfe froxible in the Bfelloriri waS apprirently aritieipatfed by fhfe authoritTfe'S, as she was rfeertlled direet 10 Auckland from Hobdrt, arriving 11 d ayS eaflier than Was p'lann'ed iri h'er original orders. Thfe men say that Sfrikfe actrori wvas mfeoted whefi the Bellona Was in Austrnliatx watefs. Four hiindred spfeeiiic points of dissat-isfae-tifen were listerl, and the meir sayfihat these were c.feded and fr-ansmitted b£ radio to New Zealand.. T