SHIPPING STRIKE.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 November 1922, Page 4

SHIPPING STRIKE.

NOW GENERAL. [bt TEi.Eouirn —peb press association J WELLINGTON, Novemlier 12. “I can hardly express an opinion, having just got back to Wellington tcdav,” stated the Prime Minister when approached legarding tho shipping strike.” “I can only hop* that it will not last long. We have already made arrangements for the carriage of mails and "ill endeavour to avoid any inconvenience to the public as much as we can.. They are saying that the Government should own and control the Lyttelton ferry steamers,” said a pressman. “It is a far bigger thing than that, replied the Premier. ‘.‘lt is a very difficult question. It is no good discussing it now.” WELLINGTON, November 11. The decision of the seamen to cease work, as their protest .against the award of the Arbitration Court which recently readjusted their wages, came into operation here this morning. The position now is that the hulk of the coastal slipping is idle including the Lyttelton ferry steamers, as neither the Maori nor the Waliine will sail to-night. The only boat on which the “Blue Peter” was flying to-day was the Anchor Company’s Ngaio, which sails for Nelson to-night. She will lie laid up there. KOMATA’S CREW PAID pFF. WESTPORT. November 11.

The articles of the crew of the steam er Komata, the combined passenger boat and collier, expired at midnight. As an insnffieffiient crew was available to take the Boat hack to Wellington, the Union Company have paid off all hands here.

AT LYTTELTON. CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 11. The following are the vessels at Lyttelton" affected by the trouble: —Wahine, Wanakn, Eaton, Wingntui, Knikorai, Kokin. Karon. Canopus, Cygnet. The following are the boats in port not yet affected: Wakatu, Progress, and the Breeze. The Breeze is due to sail to-night for Dunedin and it. is probably that her cre w will sign off there, and that she will be laid up.

The crew of the Cygnet gave notice

this morning. The Kamonn is due on Monday from Grey mouth, with bunker coal for the H.M.S. .Chatham. This vessel is not yet affected. 'Plie transport of exhibits for the New Zealand Industrial Exhibition, which will he opened at Christchurch next week, will he only slightly affected by the strike. Most of the exhibits have already reached Christchurch. CHRISTCHURCH, November 11. The Pori Denison, which was- to have sailed for New Plymouth this afternoon, carrying a mail, has been delayed, and will sail to-morrow ingThe Progress is sailing for Nels'-u. She is also delayed, and will not sail til! Monday. WARSHIPS CARRYING MAILS. WELLINGTON, November 11. Arrangements have been made l>y the the Postal Department to meet the mail difficulty created by the stoppage of the ferry service between the North and South Island. All the letters for the South Island posted, were sent forward via Pit-ton, the passage across the Strait bieng made hv the Ngaio. The present indications are that there may be no letters from the South Island on Monday morning, hut' the authorities have arranged for tho general mail to he brought by the H. M.S. Chatham on Tuesday. There is a proposal to use the Tutanekai between the North and South Islands during th> trouble. 'I his cannot lie put into effect immediately, as the vessel is at present making a trip around the lighthouses in the south. FEDERATION NOT TALKING. WELLINGTON, November 11. Officials of the Federated Seamen’s Union declared that they lind no statement to make to-day on the situation. HOME LINERS UNAFFECTED. CHRISTCHURCH, November 11. Even if the strike continues, the Home liners are not likely to he affected seriously. These vessels arc tinder London articles, and the members of the crow ar not governed by the new award, which is the source nf the trouble. A certain amount of inconvenience will he caused in regard to transhipments to and from Dunedin ports, but very little difficulty will be experienced as far ns Canterbury is concerned. DUNEDIN REPORT. DUNEDIN. November 12. The shipping trouble is spreading here. The whole of tho crew of the Corinna, from Lyttelton to Dunedin gave notice when coming south. On arriving at Dunedin at 8.40 a.m. on Saturday, the men left tlio vessel. The Kamo from Oamaru, arrived at 11.20 p.m. on Saturday. It was necessary to renew the articles at Dunedin, as the vessel was going with mails and cargo to the Clmthams. The crewsigned off, however. It is not pyohable that the vessel will leave on Monday as was previously intended. No trouble lias been experienced on the Holmdale, which arrived in Dunedin on Sunday morning, from Wellington . This vessel is to leave on Tuesday night for Wanganui, via. ports. mmmmamammmmmmmm —la—b——h

The Kaitoke, Waikouaiti, and Corinn a are now tied up at Dunedin-. Owing to the strike, Donaghy’s Rope Works were obliged to take a quantity of rope. for the Corinna hack to the works. The output at the works will probably he considerably reduced if the shipping trouble continues, and if it is a lengthy struggle, the works mav < close down for a. short period. Several departments in one or two large confectionery manufacturing works have closed down. The position will he relieved on the arrival, by train at Dunedin to-night or to-mor-row of 200 tons of sugar, ex Kaitoa, at Lyttelton. The Npw Zealand Express Company here has given its employees a week’s notice.

Other local carrying concerns are not yet affected. • The local movements have been: Arrived. November 11th., Corinna at 840 a.m. from Timarti; Kamo at 11.20 p.m., from Oamaru; November 12, Holmdale at 5.80 a.m. from Wellington AUCKLAND November “12. There are ample stocks of flour in Auckland. Tho millers state that only the usual orders will he filled. Regarding the general supplies .for- the coastal districts, there are scows doing excellent work. Provided no arnve situation develops, there is no serious difficulty anticipated. Local potatoes are coming in, thus obviating anv need of supplies from the south wliile with an abundance of green feed any lack of chaff will hardly he noticed A few lilies manufactured in the south will he short next week. The supplies of dried fruits for Christmas will he ample. The most serious strike effect concerns the empoyment of watersiders. This week, work will he provided only by the “free” vessels in port. These are the Tnintii (discharging general cargo), the Fiona (unloading sugar), and the Glauons (loading general cargo) . . The Kaituna, with coal from the West Coast is coming here. The Waihemo with general cargo from Frisco is the Only other coming arrival during the week. One large carrying firm has given notice to its carters. This is n precautionary measure. There already is in sight a. shortage of steam coal, hut the Gas Company has three months supply. The latest shipipng arrivals arc: Kaituna, 6.30 a.m. from Westport; Waihemo 9 a.in. from San Francisco. The steamer Matakann, sailed at 7 a.m. to-day for Wellington.

ANOTHER SAILING. CHRISTCHURCH; Nuvomlwr 12. The little steamer Wakatu left Lyttelton for Wellington at 10.20 last night, taking twenty-nine passengers, mid about fifty tons of mails, and also 57 tens of imieli-neede-d flour. There was considerable competition for the coveted 29 bei tTis. The Turf was "oil represented, several owners and jockeys Inning anxious to get to the North Island. The passengers included Messrs Whyte (Secretn i v of the Wellington Racing Club). Milne (Manager of Wellington Meat Export Coy.) McDonald n,,d MeSweeney (jockeys), and Lieut. Piggott (of H.M.S. Chatham). Quite a crowd gathered at the wharf to see the little vessel off and there was much good-natured chaff and facetious advice as she pulled out. It is expected the Wakatn’s crew will give notice at Wellington to-mor

So far the Canterbury Shipping Coy’s three steamers the Calm, Breeze, and Storm are not affected by the trouble. Tt is expected the war sloop Veronica, which arrived from sea this morning, will take the mails to Wellington on Monday night. H.M.S. Chatham wil take the mails to Wellington on Tuesday night, and will also convey Lord and Lady Jelli-

CONDTTTONS MAIN GRIEVANCE. CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 12. Some of tho seamen at Lyttelton state that it is not so milch the reduction in their wages as the alteration in the men’s conditions that j’s being fought. EMPLOYERS’ ATTITUDE. WELLINGTON, Nov. 11. To-day's opinion in shipping circles was that if anything in the nature of an --irritation strike were to be attempted by the men, that is, working one week and striking the next, effective means would be Ink oi to bring it to an end. However, up to tho present the ship owners have not met to consider the latest developments.

A meeting of the Shipowners’ Federation "ill be held on Monday. It is to decide "hat action should be taken. So far there is no indication of the trouble spreading to other bodies, but a stoppage of 'shipping must detrimentally affect other classes of labour The shipping circles look to tho Government to see the new award of the Court will he vindicated. STRIKE LEADERS. CHIUSTHCURC.iI, Nov. 12. Some men at Lyttelton made no secret of the fact that they are not in favour of striking, but say they are acting under coercion of the more militant section.

SMALL VESSELS JOIN STRIKE AUCKLAND, Nov. 12.

The crews of the auxiliary vessels in tho coastal trade have now given notice, and others are. expected to follow. This will he serious for Hie coastal dairy companies, as their output has been exceptionally large, and their cool storage is limited. POSITION AT WELLINGTON. WELLINGTON, Nov. 12. Referring to the actual position, one of the Labour heads said that every vessel trading on the New Zealand coast would be idle, tlio cnlv exception being the vessels belonging to the smaller companies which have conceded tlie demands of the men. Tho Union officials decline to make anv statement.

Mr Young (secretary) declare there Is nothing to snv, nor was he prepared to reply to the statements of the employers or those made hv -Mr Bishop (secretary of the Mm ploy or s’ Federation). He also declined to state whether an irritation strilo method would he adopted.

NO CHANGE YET. WELLINGTON, Nov. 12. Beyond the fact that the waterfront is deserted, nothing untoward is indicated. Therp lias been almost a complete! stoppage of shipping. It happens that there are not many boats at present at Wellington, and there is not a large number due, so that probably any untoward indications are not so marked as in other ports. Nevertheless, the effort on industrial and trade conditions may soon be made manifest.

REPORTED SEAMEN’S OFFER-. WELLINGTON, Nov. 12. it is generally admitted that furthci developments in the shipping dispute might bring about the' most serious industrial crisis which the country has had to face since the upheaval of 1913. It is a fact, however, that tho seamen have hinted that they are prepared to resume work oft. November 20tb. Presumably they are ready to workships long enough to bring food supplies. It is stated this hint has not had a reassuring effect, for it is realised that this statement is from only one ol tut parties to the dispute.

COMPANIES’ ATTITUDE. WELLINGTON, Nov. ,12. The question is now anxiously asked : Will the vessels be available for manning on tho 20th? The heads of the 1 ading eunpanies decline to connect themselves individually with the hint as to a resumption on November 20th. They say this and other phases will he discussed at the meeting of the Federation of the Shipowners to-morrow.

VIEW ON STRIKE. WELLINGTON, Nov. 13. Mr Massey, interviewed re the strike on his return to Wellington, raid hr could hardly express an opinion now, hut could only hope tho deadlock would not last long. Government bad mad: arrangements for the carriage of mails and if the strike went on, would do its best to prevent any more hardship

and inconvenience to the public than can possibly be avoided.