SHIPPING TROUBLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 August 1925, Page 2

SHIPPING TROUBLE.

[Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.] STRIKE OF COOKS. SYDNEY. Aug. 25. Intending passengers by the steamer Themistocles from London, which was due to sail yesterday were forced to come ashore owing to the absence of cooks and stewards. The oHirers had to provide their own meals. The passengers were told the vessel might sail to-day. When the crew of the Port Darwin refused duty, the vessel was taken into the stream, hut could not sail. The vessels are. manned by coloured crews that are not so far affected. Four steamers, including the liimutaku. recently arrived from New Zealand, are involved at Brisbane. At Port Adelaide. three vessels art* alloetod. mcltulinug the Inkum. the crew of which is demanding Australian rates. An important aspect of the dispute is that British lines are being penalised while foreign lines are enabled to secure cargo, and are ofleriug to sail at will. German. Dutch. Norwegian and Italian ships are unable to lilt the cargo booked. The Commonwealth line is not affected. BRITISH PROTEST. LONDON. Aug. 21. _ Shipowners and also the Seamen s Union, have cabled to Mr Bruce |>rotesling against Australian extremists intimidating the crews of British shijis in Australian jiorts with a view to compelling them to resist a reduction in wages. Already fifty thousand British seamen have accented the reduction without protest. The only trouble occurred in our Australian Lines. Havelock Wilson points out that the majority of seamen admit the justice of the reduction which was introduced in all current articles as_ the increase in wages was introduced in 1924. lhe obstructionist methods of Australian Beds are tending to spread trouble to vessels in the Australian Ding in British docks. Havelock Wilson’s cable emphasises that Australian seamen were not accepted by appeals trom M'n Bruce to restrain Walsh from interfering because the movement menaces and prejudices the British 1 nion. which is upholding the priucijiles for which if has struggled for forty years. Australia’s unwarranted intervention constitutes an act of treachery to the whole Trade 1 nion Movement. The ship owners appeal to Mr Bruce to take all steps to prevent Australian- illegally intimidating British sailors and persuading them to repudiate their agreement. MAIIENO STRIKE. AUCKLAND. Aug. 22. Rudd, acting manager of the Union Steamship Company states he referred tie. Malumo dispute to the management at Wellington, which has requested the Executive of the Seamen s Union to induce the stokers to return to duty as they arc committing an illegal act in striking. TWO THOUSAND .MEN AFFECTED. FOOT)LESS AND SHELTERLESS. (Received this day at 8 a.m > SYDNEY, August 22. Two British ships at Sydney are held up. Owing to the strike two thousand men are nll'ected. Many members of the crews who left their vessels are in a parlous condition, being foodless and shelterless, exccjitiitg for such assistance as is afforded them by the Seamen’s organisations. The Orient steamer, Drama, due to sail oil Saturday, is among the vessels rendered idle. After the passengers landed the olliecrs hauled her into the stream, jamid 'the jeering comments of the crew from the shore. The Themistocles was also taken into the stream. The shipping eonijiauies are marking time pending developments and advices from London. MELBOURNE AFFECTED. MELBOURNE. August 23. The steamer City of Kimberley got away from Melbourne for South Alrica yesterday. Six other ships have been tied up a* Melbourne. The Mongolia Ini- resumed her journey from Adelaide to Melbourne, owing to her crew not joining in Hie dis]>uto. Air Bruce, lias been asked by cable, from England to intervene.hut it is unlikely that lie will take any action at the present time. OWNER’S ATTITUDE. REFUSE ANY CONCESSION. SYDNEY, August 23. Cables from the British shipowners . to their representatives in the Commonwealth are definitely against giving wav to the men’s demands. 1 STRIKE SPREADS TO LONDON. LONDON, August 22. The nllicials at the headquarters ol , the Seamen’s and Firemen’s Union to- , day said that they knew nothing about the strike being m existence at some of the London docks over the reduction of one polltul monthly in lhe seamen’s ( | wages, which reduction the Union oflicials accepted, and which Inis caused . the trouble among British seamen < in Australia. An official of the Tilbury branch ol the Seamen's Union, however, admil- ! ted that a section of the members have struck. He added: “Pickets here have -lopped all our peojile from signing.” The official denied that this unoflieia! strike was the work of Communists. It is learned at Tilbury that several of the vessels affected have sailed, while other- have seocured jiractieally full crews. The “ Daily Herald " reports that 35 vessels are now held uji iu London owing to the reduction of wages. The strikers' committee have declared that they do not desire to take, advantage of this dispute, to the detriment of solidaritv of the British Seamen's Union, hut they are determined to struggle against the reduction. They [mint out it is not a light against any Union, nor shall it he allowed to become one. “There are no divisions in this disjiute," add the strike committee. "We are out to win !’’ The striker- declare that they do not want to break away from the present Union, lint they want the Union to he reorganised. The strikers declare that married [ men find it necessary to have their wages subsidised by the poor law relief. Tliev point out that a wage of 45s per week is not .sufficient to keeji their wives and families. The Orient liner “ Orvieto." hound for Australia is delayed at Gravesend owing to the crew going on strike. Ninety men were brought trom London yesterday to replace her crew. They were quartered at a Sea School for the night. Three hundred seamen endeavoured to force the door of Hie school, hut the seamen were dispersed at three in the morning. Mr Allen, the Chairman of the P. and 0. Shipping Coy stated the trouble at Gravesend was serious. They had got the necessary men tor the Orvieto. all being unionists. Extra police have been drafted to the East India Docks, owing to the pickets there molesting the seamen who are returning to their ships. The union officials are counteracting the pickets by urging the seamen to honour their agreement. The Orvieto is not sailing to-day, owing to the crew trouble. Mr Nensou. Assistant-Secretary of the Seamen’s Union, is at present- un-

able to indicate what steps arc likely to lie taken in connection with the unauthorised strike in Australia. The Seamen’s Union has cabled for information, and it expects a reply on -Monday, when the Executive will discuss it. TREACHEROUS AND DIRTY. LONDON, August 23. The Secretary of the English Seamen’s Union, Mr Havelock Wilson, has sent the following cable to Mr Tom Walsh: “Your conduct in interfering with the men on British-owned ships is treacherous and dirty in view of the fact that- you sent me a telegram asking whether we would recognise the transfer of any members of the Australian Union to the British Union on this side. By your unreasonable conduct, you have destroyed the prestigo of the Australian Seamen’s Union, which was built up by able men. Aou have betrayed your trust, and I suppose you hope to destroy the British Seamen’s Union. For forty wars wo have faced the- storms. Read my hook . “A Stormy Voyage Through Life,” and you will know about it.” Mr Havelock Wilson has gone to Canada. He said that the new wages agreement had been accepted by fifty thousand men without a protest. Iksaid there was trouble in the East India Docks, and that it was engineered by Communists. He declared the strikers wore unemployable non-union-ists. MAIIENO DISPUTE SETTLED. WELLINGTON, August 23. The Union Company agreed to engage three extra trimmers on the Mnheito. which the men demanded, hut alter the arrangements were announced, the Seamen’s Union Secretary stated that the men refused to return aboard the ship unless the donkeyman and stoker who had remained aboard to keep up steam were discharged. Tho Company declared it would stand firm against the dismissal of these men, but the matter was settled by the melt resigning. WILL NOT LAST LONG. .Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, August 23. The unofficial Seamen’s Strike is not expected to last many hours. Late on Saturday f%ht only half a dozen pickets remained at the East India docks. The police have been reduced. Forty men joined the Orvieto to-day, hut the others refused and decided to remain at the sea school until arrangments were made to take them to their homes at Portsmouth. The Strikers leader declares that Havelock Wilson abused his powers in consenting to a reduction without consulting the delegates at the conference, who are appealing to the Trade Union Congress and the Transjiorters Vl’nion.