SEAMEN'S STRIKE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 2, 27 September 1917, Page 6

SEAMEN'S STRIKE

PRIME MINISTER'S PROPOSAL

REPLIES OF FEDERATION AND UNION The following letter from the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. F. Massey), dated September 24, was received by the Seamen's Union on Tuesday:— "I have to inform you that, as Mr. Justice Stringer, President of the Arbitration Court, is at present absent from Wellington on Court business elsewhere, I have approached Mr. Justice Cooper, who is now in' Wellington, with a viewto his acting as chairman of tho tribunal which it is proposed to set up with the object of endeavouring to. arrive at a settlement of the present seamen s (lis. irate, and he has expressed his willingness to act in this capacity. It is proposed that a board shall be set v.p, to consist of Mr. Justice Copper as chairman and a representative from each side to the dispute, the finding of the board to be binding on both parties.Will you be so good as to inform me whether your union is willing to agree to this course, and to appoint n representative to act onl the board? I shall be glad to have your reply as soon' as possible, so that arrangements lr.ny be made for the board to meet at an early date."

UNION ACCEPTS CONDITIONALLY. NOMINATES CAPTAIN STRIKGEK AS REPRESENTATIVE. A meeting of the Seamen's Union, held yesterday morning to discuss the proposal, was attended by 200 members. Tho following motion was unanimously 'adopted: — "That in view of the letter of the Prime Minister, dated September 24, clearlv indicating that it is the intention of the Government to give .effect to tho wishes of Shipowners' Federation m setting up a tribunal, consisting of a representative of each side, with a Judge *>f the Supreme Court as president, to determine the number of men in n watch at sea, Hiis meeting of seamen feels that it has no alternative but to fall into line with the proposal, and therefore nominates Captain Stringer, of tho Government Shipping Office, Wellington, as the representative of tho seamen on such tribunal. It is our wish that the tribunal shall hear the representatives of the seamen and evidence in respect to the matter prior to giving a decision, and that representatives of the Press shall be present and publicly record the proceedings. "In view of the seamen having been agreeable to setting up a tribunal with tho Conciliation Commissioner its e.iairman, and the shipowners having reacted such proposal, and as an alternative proposed a Judge of the Supremo Court to preside ovor the deliberations of the. tribunal, this meeting of seamen now enters a most emphatic protest, acamst the action of the Government in backin" up the olaim of one side as against thl! other, seeing that the proposal put forward in tho Prime Ministers letter, which is evidently of a mandatory character, is absolutely the proposal put forward by the Shipowners' Federation at 2.30 p.m. on September 13, and we direct public attention to this action. "Further, it is the opinion of this meeting that it) was a very conspicuous duty devolving on the Governov-mt ■ to make such law or regulations as would compel ships to have not less than two deck-hands in a watch at sea, tnd not to shuffle its-obligations to the community in delegating the issue to a xmiimssion or tribunal to determine the point involved—the. foregoing ./agreement lor the tribunal being conditional on the prosecutions now pending against union officials being either withdrawn or o.etermined, and no action taken by us until either eventuates."

THE FEDERATION AGREES SUGGESTS ALL MATTERS IN DISPUTE.BE DEALT WITH. , The following reply has been forwarded to the Prime Minister by the secretary of the "Wellington Branch of the Shipowners' Federation:—" . "In reply to your letter of 24th instant, I have to inform you that at a meeting of the Wellington Branch of the New Zealand Shipowners' Federation held this morning it was decided to agree that the matters in dispute should be 'referred to a board with Mr. Justice Cooper ns chairman. If the only.matter to.be considered by. the board is the question of the number of men in a watch, one representative o.i each side will be sufncient for that purpose. In that case there will still be left the various claims ot the union which tho employers have already requested .the Inspector of A.wards to refer to the Arbitration Court for interpretation. . „ o "In view, however, of the beamwis Union's objections to these matters being referred to the Arbitration Court, and in order to facilitate an early eetlement of the dispute, the shipowners are prepared to; withdraw their application for interpretation and refer all matters in dispute to the board for settlement. > "If the scope of the inquiry is extended to deal with all matters in dispute, it will be necessary to provide, for two representatives on each side, as some of the claims made affect particularly .the smaller vessels, others have special application to the larger, while 6ome, of course, apply equally to both classes. What is suggested, therefore, is: (1) That all matters in dispute should be referred to the board; (2) that two representatives should be appointed by each side; (3) that the union should formulate its demands in writing; (1) that the union should undertake that its members will- resume work immediately the board's decision is made known. "While this federation represents the majority of the shipowners affected, it 13 necessary to stipulate that any shipowner or shipping company shall havo the right to appear separately before the board either personally or by any representative appointed for that .purpose. Upon receipt of intimation that the union has agreed to the proposed board, the shipowners mil appoint their assessor, or assessors, as may be required, without delay."..

TAINTJI TO BE TIED UP. Messrs. Salmond and Spraggon, local agents for the New Zealand Refrigerating Company, informed a Dominion reporter yesterday that tha crew of (he Tamui was paid off at Wangamn on Tuesday. It will be remembered that the Refrigerating Company put an extra man on the steamer on the first day of the strike, and the sailing of the vessel was not interfered with. The company has since decided to etand with, the shipowners and tie up the vessel. The Invercargill arrived at Wellington yesterday morning from Wangamn, where she had been held up by the seamen s dispute. She was manned by a nonunion crew and brought no cargo. The yessel will undergo overhaul here. s

TROUBLE EXTENDS TO DIiNEDIN KOTABT3 LAID UP. By Telegranh—Press Association. Dunedin, September 26. The coastal seamen's trouble mYs extended to Dunedin. . The .Kotaro. which arrived to-day is being; laid up indefinitely. The meu wore to have been paid off to-day. . ____^___