NEW SHIPPING TROUBLE

Hokitika Guardian, 11 September 1920, Page 4

NEW SHIPPING TROUBLE

EXTRA STOKEHOLD HANDS demanded.

SYDNEY, August 31 A small cloud is casting • a shadow over the shipping industry in Australia just now. If the developments during the forthcoming week are hot satisfacf tory, it may grow into a. big and menacing affair. What appears to be a section of the organised seamen—the unions have not appeared officially in connexion with the matter yet—are demanding additional trimmers in the following vessels:— Atua—Union ti 9 Rotomahana—Huddnrd, Parker Co G Yarra—Huddart, Parker Co. ... 3 Unilla—Adelaide S.S. Co 3 Fiona—Colonial Sugar Co 3 Baku nr—Commonwealth Government 3 Time—Howard Smith and Co. 3 Hobart, Nonano, Woolgar— Mel bourne S.’S. Co i 3 The figures show the extra hands Wanted on each vessel. Already, as a result of these demands the Bukhara and Fiona have been thrown idle in Sydney, and the Time in Melbourne, and it is expected that the seamen will refuse to work the others as they reach their home ports. If any drastic action is taken by the owners of these vessels, it is said, thej ] whole shipping industry will be effected. ’ (

Melbourne is particularly concerned over the development, as most of the ships are colliers carrying coal to the southern city. Melboufiie is pitifully dependent on New South Wales for coal. Once in the good old days Melbourne always carried the bast part of a year’s supply of coal, in reserve, but since the shipping shortage of the war period slio has lost that reserve, and receives coal on a hand-to-mouth system. When any of the numerous strikes—miners, seamen, or wharf workers—occur, Melbourne is almost immediately without coal, and all industries and public services are disorganised accofdiiigly. Sydney does not appear to bo in the least concerned over the present difficulty—the matter is scarcely mentioned in the newspapers—but Melbourne is regarding it with a gloomy pessimistic eye. A prominent shipping authority, ask ed what reason the men had for advancing their new demands, said that they gave no reason at all. They merely said they wanted more stokehold hands, and would have them. In his opinion, politics were at the back of the trouble. Under the Navigation Act now bofore the Federal Parliament, tie ii'iilo of 3J- tons />f coal per mail pei' day for stokeholds is laid down, and it is believed the men want to reduce this to a maximum of 3 tons per man per day..