SHIPPING TROUBLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 August 1925, Page 2

SHIPPING TROUBLE.

[Australia & X.Z. Cable Association.] STRIKE FIZZLING Ol'T. LONDON, Aug. 23. The shipping strike is fizzling out, although a strikers’ mass meeting decided in favour of me maintenance of the former rates. The shipowners have cabled their agents not. to make any concessions. REDS LAUGHED AT. LONDON, August 21. Air Havelock Wilson wirelessed from the Empress of Scotland, wherein he is going to Canada, that the Reds made a desperate attempt to hold up the steamer, hut failed miserably. The crew laughed them to scorn. LONDON, August 2. Eleven large liners sailed front the United Kingdom this week-end, the total crews being approximately 100 U. DEPORTATION OF AGITATORS. SYDNEY, August 23. After a meeting of the federal Cabinet the Federal Executive Council issued a proclamation under the deportation provision of the Immigration Act recently passed declaring a state of serious industrial disturbance prejudicial to order and seriously threatening Lite peace and good Government of the ( ouinioiiwealth exists. Ibis action is preliminary to the enforcement of the powers under the Act to summon beiore a tribunal to be appointed, those jiersons whom it may be considered necessitry to show cause why they should not he de|)orted lor the preservation of industrial peace in the Commonwealth. The proclamation empowers the Federal Government to deport anv person whom it decides is agitating for industrial disturbances. GENERAL STRIKE. PREDICTED AT LONDON. LONDON, August 23. The Grantully Castle, which had hitherto been delayed, sailed to-day, with a full crew. At a Communist meeting a member of the Strike Committee prophesied a national strike to-inunow. The seamen nut only insist on no reduction in wages, but demand that the shipowners shall concede a fortyeight hours’ week before any resumption of work. Dock otlieials. oil the. other hand, rcj port that- men are signing on as required. i STRIKE IN X.Z, AUCKLAND, August 21. The British firemen and seamen in port «re on strike, according to the terms of a resolution passed at a meeting to-night of one hundred seamen. . The reduction of their wages was discussed at length, and the following ' resolution was carried unanimously: ' “That ibis meeting of the members . of the National Federation of the Seamen's and Firemen's Union of Great , Britain and Ireland resents the treaeh- ! emus action of the President, Air Havelock Wilson, and other members 1 of the Executive of the Union in agreeing to a reduction of £1 a month in our already starvation wages. Further. we insist that the rates of pay rurreul in July last no paid to all seamen in till orders, and that there he uu resumption of work until these conditions are accepted.” A representative of the local 1 nion >ays the strike will take effect in the morning. PREMIERS’ CONFERENCE. MELBOURNE. August 21. The Federal Cabinet is discussing the British sliijiping stake, and the cabled ttppeals of the IJrtisli shipowners and of Air Havelock Wilson for the Government to intervene in the strike. It is considered probable that the State Premiers will lie summoned to a eonlVreins' at Alelbourue to consider what action shall he taiwn. INTERFERING WALSH. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) SYDNEY, August 20. Ai a mass meeting the seamen considered the position and adjourned until Wednesday when the waterside workers also meet to decide what their attitude will he. Ai to-day's meeting the watersidors promised to assist the strikers. Mr Walsh, addressing the meeting, said lie thought that where the ships were manned by non-union labour in Britain the Labour movement throughout Australia should consider declaring such ships black immediately they touched Australia. .Meantime the situation is unchanged. Vessels are still held up. The sailing of the Orient liner Drama lias been postponed indefinitely. \ ICTORIA OFFERS PROTECTION. .MELBOURNE. August 23. The Premier, Mr Allen, announced that Victoria would protect to the extent of its powers the British seamen who desired to carry out tlmir cou- ' tracts and who were unlawfully interfered with. WELLINGTON INVOLVED. WELLINGTON, August 2.7. The British seamen’s strike is also spreading its tentacles to Wellington. Several of the Shaw Saville Liner Aniwifs crew have indicated that they will refuse to go to sea. She was due to sail to-morrow. The company have untiling to say at present, exeejit that the men signed on for four years on a round trip and cannot refuse duty without bringing themselves within the scope of the law.