THE BANNED BOATS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1255, 11 October 1911, Page 5

THE BANNED BOATS.

AND OFFICERS' GUILD. BOTH SIDES AVOIDING TROUBLE. FACTS AND RUMOURS. IS IT A STRIKE OE NOT? Whether tho action of tho mates of small steamers in coming ashore, practically in a body, constitutes a. strike, is ono of tho serious questions now at issuo in the matter of tho disputo between the Shipowners' federation and tho Merchant tjorvico Guild. Members of the guild assert that it is not a strike, but, naturally enough, tho owners hold a different view. It is, of courso, true'that tho men "severally" made up their minds not to work, and that they "severally" took steps to end their contracts, but they all did theso "several" things just about the samo time. Tho Labour Department has now taken a hand in the business, and its officers are making inquiries as to whether or not a broach of the strike clauses of tho industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act has boon committed. If they decide that breaches have been committed and that these breaches have been of such a nature as to warrant prosecutions, wo may hear something inoro about tho strike aspect of tho question in another way, The only other fact of any importance io be recorded is that the dispute looks rather less like being settled than it did a few days ago. Those Rumours Re Larger Trouble. But besides the facts there have been a good many statements made which are not facts—at any rate not yot. First of all, it was reported that tho officers in the Union Company's coastal boats are coming out. That statement is contradicted absolutely by the secretary of tho guild, Captain Watson. It is no secret that negotiations were opened some while ago with tho Union Company for better hours and better pay for their officers, but there is nothing specially active being dono in these negotiations just now. As a matter of fact, it is hoped by tho guild members that they may be more successful in dealing with tho Union Company than they have so far been with tho smaller owners. But, whatever tho outcome, the guild has stated through, its secretary: "No more Court for us.' Bofusing to use the Court, the have, of course, only one other weapon. _ So this rumour has possibilities of becoming fact. Enquiries disclose that there is no good ground for supposing that the seamen and wharf labourers have definitely made up their minds to assist tho guild. It seems to bo true that tho discharge oftho Pukaki at Timaru and tho Breezo at the BiulV did not go on smoothly, but apparently ■ this was no fault of the guild. Captain Watson received a telegram from tho secretary of . tho Timaru branch of tho Waterside Workers' Union, stating that tho wharf labourers would not work small coasters until tho guild'trouble was ended, and asking: "Do you approve?" Captain Watson replied as follows: "Wo are not requiring 'tho assistance of anybody. Wo do not want anybody to strike on our account." Tho secretary of tlio Lyttclton Wharf Labourers' Union also inquired 'for the names of ail boats manned by non-unionist officers.

Tho action' of ,these unions, however, appears to have been without authority or instruction from the Waterside Workers' Federation. At any rate, iho ■ Wellington branch, tho largest in tho country, has received no notice that the federation propose to take action in tho merchant service trouble, and tho usual practice in such matters is io consult tho unions beforo doing anything. Nor is there any truth in tho rumour that the seaman aro thinking of coming out in sympathy with the officers. .. ~ h Ploa for Overtimo, Discusripg tho attitUiJo iof the .Libpv l # Department with a press representative, Mr. T. W. Spcnce, an active member of the Guild, deprecated tho application of tho term "strike" to the dispute, "That is pure misrepresentation by tho other side in order to alienate sympathy from us," ho said. "Is the.ro any law to compel a mani .-to • work- under conditions which he considers unjust and undesirable? Can any'law force a man to work more than 400 hours a month, as somo of our members have done in the past? Tho law says that 21 hours' notico shall terminate the agreement under which wo aro employed. Wo did not make that law; we asked the Arbitration Court to render tho position of an officer less precarious by giving him tho right to a month's notice after ho had been in a servico a sufficient length of timo to be consfidered a permanent emplovee. Tho employers objected, and the Court did not grant our request, so that if tho 24 hours does not suit tho employers now it is not our fault. Surely we have the right to leave our work in tho legal way under the twenty-four hours' prescribed by law. Wo did not drag the employers before the Court as they say wo did. We met them in tho Conciliation Council, and submitted our proposals, but they objected to all of them, and offered us practically nothing. Wo demand'extra payment for extra work; every man who works on a steamer with tho officer—tho sailors, the firemen, tho lumpers, tho Customs officers, thfe Marine Department officers—all get extra payment except tho ririlucky man who happens to direct most of the extra work. Wo are convinced that our demands aro reasonable, and that wo aro justified in using any decent means to obtain a just and reasonable remuneration for work." "Not Any Kind of a Strike."

Captain Watson was eqnallv insistent that his men's action was neither unreasonable nor illegal. "By offering extra payment by way of bonus," ho said, "tho employors have admitted that we arc entitled to the extra payment for overtime. Our objection to their proposals about bonuses is that wo could havo no legal claim on a bonus; wo could not go into a Court of law and demand it after tlio work was done. A bonus is a moro gratuity. Their refusal to fix a rate would leave it open for any ono man to charge as littlo as he* like?, and thereby curry favour with tho owners.

"Yes, it. is true that some of tho other unions, tho Wharf Labourers' amongst them, aro offering us very practical sympathy, but wo liave no wish to brine them into the troublo, and so stick up all sea transport. We do not want to precipitato an industrial upheaval. Wo do not deny or affirm the rumours current; wo say simply that wo have nothing to do with them.

"As I have said Wore, this isn't any kind of a_ strike. Did you over hear of a strike in which the union left fourfifths at least of its mombers working. There aro only 40 or 50 members of our union who aro not working, and they will not work because they consider their conditions unreasonable and absurd. The owners say that they will tip their ships up for twelve months. Well, our men will seek other employment, andthoy can tie them up for twelve years if they like. That is all we aro doing; we have never, as a guild, mentioned any such thing as the Union Company olhcers going on strike." "Holding Fire." Captain M'Arthur, chairman of tho Shipowners' Eederation, stated to a reporter that the federation was merely holdmg fire until they hoard what tii'c guild proposed to do. A meeting had been hold in the morning, but there i«as nothing to deal with. They did not discuss tho reopening of negotiations. "Wo could run some of our boats now," ho said, "but we do not want to precipitate trouble. This refers to small boats requiring only"orio mate, and we liavo several men that havo offered to accept employment on them. But we do not wish to niako a settlement impossible. Had thev not gone to the Court, we wonld liavo given them something of what they asked, but they would not rcduco their 'exorbitant demands. Now we say that wo will abide by the award. We would havo had to abide by it if it had been very much in their favour. Wo are still willing to negotiate if there is any elianoo of an amicable, settlement. Wo do not want (o put any obstacle in tho way of getting the boats going again." Tho Capital Now Idle. So much for opinions. Thero is still something liko a quarter of a million pounds' worth of capital .lying idle, and |ikely to remain so. Coastal trade is being diverted into .the larger boats, and

they are going out fall to th« combine to all tho ports to which tlio Email boats used to trado,. Tho Arahura could not take all her cargo on her Pictoii, Nelson, Greymouth trip yesterday, and tho Mapourika, which sailed late, could not lt£o all that was left over. AT OTHER PORTS. (By Telcfraph.—Pross Association.) Timaru, Octobcr 10. The wharf workers did not start hero this morning. A meeting was held when they assembled, and it lvas decided to ccaso work as a means of helping tho steamer ollicers to a speedy setttlcmont. This decision is to apply to all steamers. Tho I'uiiki and Kia Ora were affected. A telegram, soul to tho Merchant Service Guild, brought a reply expressing thanks for tho sympathy extended, but intimating that such action was not neccssary at present, as a settlement was in prospect. A- reply to a message to tho samo eli'oct, sent to the Union Federation, waa that, as_ tho federation did not understand tho union's action, it advised them to go to work. Work was therefore resumed at 1 p.m. Duncdin, October 10. In of tho trouble with tlio officers engaged in tho coastal shipping tirade in the north, tho steamers Victoria and Ulimaroa would net accept any cargo hero to-day for transhipment at northern ports. Tho Breeze is duo hero to-morrow, and, if her officere a.ihcro to their previously expressed intention, they, will then leave tho vessel. Tho local agent for the vessel, however, expressed tho opinion that the officers w«ro in duty bound to remain on the Broezo until sho reached har homo port, viz., Lyttolton. Tho Broezo has no cargo to unload here, but thoro is a fair quautity waiting hero to bo loaded for northern ports. If tho men oomo ashore the Breeze will have to bo laid up in Duncdin.