NEWCASTLE SHIPMASTERS’ STRIKE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2124, 5 July 1907, Page 1

NEWCASTLE SHIPMASTERS’ STRIKE.

A deputation, representing the shipmasters in port at Newcastle, waited on the Premier of New South Wales (Mr. Carruthers), on Friday, June 21st, to protest against the enforcement of regulations referring to loaded ships, the masters of a number of which had been fined at the Police Court the previous day', Captain Mullen, of the barque Pilimoro, presented a petition signed by the shipmasters, praying that the regulations imposing penalties on masters of loaded vessels for not proceeding to sea be suspended. The speaker put the case for the captains very pointedly. “We are fined,” lie said, “for something uqt" in our power to prevent.' If we stay at the buoy we are fined, and yet should we attempt to put to sea without a full crew the authorities would prevent us. II I went to sea undermanned, and my ship was piled on the rocks at Pori; Stephens, liow would I stand at the enquiry ? Would my inability to get men be taken as qn excuse ? ’ Continuing, he said it had been reported that masters had not used ill; diligence in getting sailors. That was untrue. He had gone the rqun(] of the boarding-houses that inqrning, and only found three iqen, only giVe of whom had a discharge. Licenses should be granted to respepta ble boardinghouse masters, Mr. Carruthers candidly admitted lie was sorry fqr the position the shipmasters were in. If he could come up here and mend matters he would be glad, but onl- one side of the question had been presented. The Government had no object in treating shipowners and masters with severity at all, as they wanted the ships to come back again. But the Government had to bo fair to themselves. Newcastle was not a large natural port, and every penny spent here had to be found bv the people. The port had had to he created by vast expenditure’to meet a trade increasing so rapidly. To maintain the port in efficiency a vast sum was spent every year, until now "Jt had reached a total of over half a million pounds a year, nq small sum fqr a young country. They wanted the assistance of shipmasters, but occasions had arisen when they ]iad beep careless in regard to file port’s infer; ests. On his previous visit lie saw five or six cranes blocked by loaded ships. AVhat did that mean ? That their valuable, machinery lay ‘ idle, the coal trucks were rendered useless, and part of the export trade was standing still, whilst work at the collieries was impeded. He was sorry for them, but this could not he allowed. He heard tli,e sailors were standing out for higher wages. Rather than havo the vessels lying in port, it would pay the Government to make up the extra money. He admitted that in clearing tlieliarbqr some hardship had been inflicted, f>ut his aim was to .assist those engaged in trade to get the benefit qf al} the facilities of file port. He. proposed to hand over to the shipping master’s office the entire control of the engagement and shipping qf sajlqrs, and the staff at tips office would he extended for that purpose. As long as shipmasters regarded the spirit of these regulations, he did not wish to fine them. He maintained there was plenty of accommodation ; tile trouble was enfirely qne of tpe scartubf of sailors. Referring to the eases which had been heard in Newcastle, if they assured him they would hurry out of port he would take a lenient view, and would not insist qn enforcing the regulations.