MERCHANT SERVICE GUILD.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1917, 27 November 1913, Page 7

MERCHANT SERVICE GUILD.

CAPTAIN WATSON'S POSITION. It is understood that the business before the Merchant Servico Guild at yesterday's meeting concerned the position of Captain D. J. Watson (secretary of tho guild). It is said that a largo proportion of tho members of tho guild wore opposed to a certain lino of action taken by the secretary in tho early stages of tho present strike,, and that it was resolved that a ballot of members should be taken on' tho question of tho secretary's'conduct with a view to further action.

The action referred to is believed to bo that reported in The Dominion of November 1, as follows: — > "When seen by. a reporter yesterday Captain D. J. Watson (secretary of tho guild) stated that a resolution had been sent to the shipping companies as follows :— " 'That as certain shipowners bavo decided to pay oft tho masters. and.officers at the present juncture, thoy cannot reasonably expect the masters and officers to work their vessels with frco labour, should it become available.' "Asked to explain tho resolution Captain Watson said: 'At present the shipowners bavo seen fit to pay oft the masters and officers of some of tho smaller coastal fleet, and, if free labour becomes available, they will want the masters and mates immediately to work the ships in combination with freo labour. This wo absolutely refuse to do, nor can wo reasonably bo expected to do it.' "When tho abovo statement was shown to several masters and officers [ in tho Union Company's employ tl.Vy I expressed surprise at the action taken by Captain Watson. Some of them expressed themselves very plainly on the matter, and said that the secretary had no business to make such a statement before ho had tho authority of tho Guild as a whole. From further inquiries made it appeared that many of the members of tho guild did not know anything about tho matter, and several expressed emphatic disapproval of the secretary's attitude at this critical stage." Captain Watson subsequently explained that he meant only a few of the smaller coastal companies.