Commonwealth Steamers

Hokitika Guardian, 1 May 1922, Page 4

Commonwealth Steamers

QUESTION OF REFLATING CHEWS SYDNEY, April 9. The arrival of the Commonwealth Government’s new passenger liner, Hobson’s Bay, in Australian waters, brings the clash between the Commonwealth ship managers and the Trades Hall job control crew to another crisis. Before the last Commonwealth liner, the Bargs Bay, left these shores last month her original crew, including many Australian unionists and A.I.F. men, was summarily sacked at the commend of the Trades Hall, which sent a crew of its own down to the a half to take charge of the vessel. An officer who objected to one of these Trades Hal! mariners was forced to resign and even the captain had to accept a Trades Hail bo’s’ll in whom he had no confidence. Having thus caved in supinely to every demand of the job control crowd, thereby denuding the officers of the Largs Bay of all real authority, the Commonwealth Government put oil a fine air of resolution, and declared ihnt when lie next liner arriver the management, through that ship’s master, would lone the sole right to exercise freedom of choice in D o selection of a new crew. -Ministers insisted that this principle was vital, and that if necessary the issue would to fought out with the unionists. The majority of the crew at present in the Hobson’s Bay are Australians and unionists, and the question everyone is asking now is whether the executive of tlie Seamen’s Union will insist upon the vi ssel being lcmnniied by. its own nominees for the return passage to England, as they did in the ease of the last steamer; and, if so, what will happen i “1 am not going lo let Air Walsh or anybody else dictate to me as to what crew I shall carry in the Hobson’s Bay. He is not my boss, and never will be, if I call help it. I have a good crew of picked men, the majoiity of whom have Australian associations and the necessary union credentials, and I intend to keep as many of them as 1 can.” This statement, made yesterday hv Captain R. Aloodie-ileddle. ol the Hobson's. Bay, indicates that if Air Walsh (president of the Seamen’s l nion), or the marine engineers, or Stewards and Cooks’ Union, provoke trouble, a firm stand will he taken.

Captain Moodio-lleddlo slates that the present crew was signed on in Eondan to proceed to Brisbane and hack to Sydney in tho ship. There they were to he paid off, and as many as were eligible and wished to icioiii would he re-engaged in spite of any action the unions might take. What hands were not eligible, of course, would be replaced by others at Sydney, hut they would lie chosen by the master and chiefs of the various departments aboard tlio ship, and not from those selected by the union ollicinls. The vessel has just reached .Melbourne from London, and the expected struggle, therefore will not take place for nt least a fortnight, unless action is taken by representatives of the marine unions in the north, which would come as a surprise to the officials of the line, and also to the crew on board. If any deadlock occurs in connexion with the sailing of the llohson’s Day, a heavy loss will be sustained, and shippers in every State will suffer. Arrangements have been made to ship cargo in all tho leading ports on specific dates, and most of it is refrigerated freight. Tasmanian shippers alone would lose more than 100,000 cases of fruit, for which space has been reserved in the liner. The passenger accommodation is also well booked up, and more than GOO people would be greatly | inconvenienced if the ship were pro-1 vented from sailing. I]