WELLINGTON NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 August 1925, Page 4

WELLINGTON NEWS

SEAMEN'S STRIKE. (Special to “Guardian”.) WELLINGTON, August ‘Jo. Those interested in shipping are wondering whether the strike' of Ihitisli seamen engineered in Sydney will .spread to New Zealand. The leaders of the seamen both in Australia and New Zealand are heartily opposed to Mr Havelock Wilson, the Secretary of tho British Seamen's Union. It is the I,oast of Mr Wilson that there has not been a strike of liritish seamen for -even years, because the leaders on both sides believe in conciliation and settle their differences by round table conferences. Recently the .Seamen’s Union entered into a new agreement with the shipowners which involves a slight reduction in wages, that this reduction has been warranted has been recognised bv 'the Union leaders. Urebdils are so low as to he described as ruinous and owners are doing their utmost to avoid the tie up of vesseU -o as to escape additional losses. Of course freights could he increased hut that would check trade . and would drive business to rival foreign shipowners. Every country wants shipowners to provide regular services at minimum freights and lares, and these shipowners are heavily handicapped and subject to very keen competition from steamers that do not run any regular service. In the circumstances the ci v of the shipowners is that there mu -t iie a reduction of running expenses if ships are to he kept moving. In the running of ships wages form a considerable portion of the total. Ihe Rritish seamen through their leaders have agreed to a small reduction of wages U. help keep the ships going, and in this most people would say that they have acted wisely, hut the federated Seamen’s National Council m Welllington thinks otherwise, and this body has just passe a censure motion on Mr Havelock Wilson who is accused of undue and unwarranted iiiterierenee with ships at Australian and New Zealand ports. On the face of it this is absurd. The men on British ships and belonging to the British Seamen's Union are answerable to the oificials oi their Union and Mr Havelock Wilson 1Uie secretary of the British Seamen's Union, hut. he is not an agitator like the majority of the labour leaders in Australia and New Zealand. -Mr Milson wants British seamen to honour the agreement with the shipowners hill Walsh and a few more ol his ilk have induced the seamen to dishonour the agreement and to revolt against the leaders of the British Seamen’s Union. They want Mr Havelock Wilson to betray his trust as they arc ready to do at any moment on Ihe slightest excuse or on no excuse whatever. Aeroiding to one authority we have entered a period when Inhour unrest will fie most pronounced. Costs ol production and distribution must he reduced in oidei to cheapen commodities and bring them within the purchasing power of the masses, for it. is only by such means that trade can be revived. In reduce costs wages must drop, and the efforts of the employers to elfect ■ •nit'll reduction trill he resisted by tin 1 labour leaders because such reduction would in some measure destroy their “mana.” The coal miners at Home notwithstanding the perilous condition of the coal mining industry resisted a reduction ot wages, and the Government's subsidy has patched up a temporary truce. The textile workers in Yorkshire refused to accept a reduction of o per cent in wages notwithstanding lhal much machinery was idle and others operating part time. The British seamen consented to a reduction because Havelock \\ ilson. and those associated with him in the control of the Union are not agitators, hut from the point of view of the men of the Tent Walsh class the action of the British seamen is detrimental to labour. for the precedent ol a reduction in wages would he adopted in other trades. The costs of production and distribution must he reduced, hut before the reduction is effected there will be many bitter struggles between employers and workers, but the lormer must win because economic lorees are operating in their favour. Both must lose heavily, hut ultimately good will result for the labour agitator will lose his prestige as a leader. ' VAGARIES <>K WOOL VALUES. At the annual meeting of shareholders of the Wellington Woollen Manufacturing Company, the Chairman, Mr VV. 11. P. .Barht'r, had a good deal to say on the rise and fall of wool values and the diilieulties thereby created for teaNiifaeinrers. In the course of his remarks ho said:—‘'During a time of exciting prices—with iln* great publicity given thereto there is a tendency u ken a set lack occurs to exaggerate such fall, and trade buyers of textiles and other woollens at mice expect redial inns which arc not justified, more especially as was the case here when previous seasons’ advances prices lor ran material had not been covered in selling (imitations for the manufacturing goods. Ma ay fail to realise tha t. at present In all class of wool, prices are still high.” lie then piloted some remarks made at a conference in Bradford on duly loth. Tlio chairman of that conference said. “ Now regarding the ruling; prices of wool. In three years, I!'"JI -15 it? I. wool prices have advanced from L'7 to IMP tier hale—crossbreds from Id to 2-Id tier lb, or

';{)(> per cent. As wool prices can rise so can they fall, as we have experienced during tin' last few months. Inn in spile of all I think you willl agree that tn-dny's prices is not a find one.” Whether current prices will hold remains to be seen when the sales open in Bydnov and London.