ABSENTEE RATINGS ATTEND TRADES HALL

Chronicle (Levin), 9 May 1947, Page 7

ABSENTEE RATINGS ATTEND TRADES HALL

—Press Association

By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, May 8. Outside the Wellington Trades Hall this morning. stood two representatives of the naval ratings who have exceeded their leave from the- cruiser Beltona for more than a week. They were waiting to meet the president of the Auckland Trades Couneil (Mr. Alexander Drennan), and then to state their case to the special meeting of the nationai couneil of the New.Zealand Federation of Labour. ' There was a marked reluctance in federation circles to discuss the attendance of the Bellona ratings, or even to admit that they had an appointment with the organisation. However, it is understood that Mr. Drennan urged yesterday afternoon that. the men should have the opportunity of being heard. This morning, the official attitude of the federation seeuied to be that there would be no statemCnt to the Press regarding the outcome of any discussion of the Beltona question, even _ if _ the discussion occurred, and it was indicated that the subject was oue of "Government policy. " Yet, there were the Bellona representatives, in civilian clothes, upon the threshold of the Trades Hall — in very fact, and not merely figuratively. They seeuied to be pleasqd that they would soon be meeting the nationai couneil of the Federation of Labour. ■ This was * understandable. They arrived in Wellington yesterday morn ing, in time for the beginning of the special meeting of the couneil. However, the first business of the organis ation was to discuss coutinuing the application for a general wage increase. Ali the same, the Bellona representa tives, by attending the meeting this morning, received no little priority, foi the VV'anganella case, which very many people consider to be portentous and urgent, was to be discussed this after noon. Forty-eight Still Absent. . It was learned in Auckland yesterday that 48 ratings had now refused to re sume duty until they received a reply to their grievances about pay and couditions. It was learned also that no measures had been taken to issue wairaats to apprehend tliem. * All were liable to be'classed as deserters, it was stated in Auckland, and in that evenl warrants would be executed by the civil police, but the absentees would ordinarily be returned to the naval authorities. The men addressed their grievances to their commanding officer for transmission to the Naval- Board. The present ation. of the absentees" case to the Federation of Labour — even the suggestion that this course would be followed — is thought to be without precedent, and it represents a novel interest by the industrial laboui niovement in a yeryiee problem. It is evident that trade union in volvement in thq affair began am deveioped in Auckland. So iar as is known, trade. unio^|^lsewhere have no intervened. ' On Tupsday, it is reported from Auckland, the ' nayal authorities refused two trade union officials permission to addresh Devonport naval dockyard wofkers' during the luncli hour. The reason vyas that the uieetint. was political,' rather than trade union ist. ' T '■* . ; , ; i Philomel Categpry. Some 70 of the 4SQ workers attended a meeting outside the dockyard. The position of the Bellona ratings was dis cuSsed, and it wa's asked that they slioud be placed in the same categorj as the Philomel strikers and given the choice of discharge from the Service. There is reason to believe tliat a similar suggestion is likely to have been put to the Federation of L*ibour today,. " • It is also reported from Auckland that there are trade unions there which are likely to take stopwork action if any Bellona ratings seeking civilian employment are refused work ori jobs alongside' the uniouists, or il attempt is made to! arrest them whiie they are on the jobs. It was stated at the Federation of Labour this afternoon that there was no comment to mahe on the Bellona question, or on this morning 's trans t actions.