SHIPPING TROUBLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 October 1925, Page 2

SHIPPING TROUBLE.

[Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.] ST It IKIs TO 1512 CALI.-K D OFF. CAI’KTOMN. October 11. The Durban strike committee considered the shipowners' reply to tlte terms u hereon a ballot v. as taken yesterday and it is ex|>ei ted they will call the strike oil on Monday, of l Uesday. It is also presumed the settlement will apply to Capetown.

STRIKE OFFICIALLY OFF. (Received this day at S n.m.) DURBAN. October 12. The Shipping strike has been otlieially called off. A TTHAOAS. AUCKLAND. O.t. 12. The e.iilv movements to-day ot vsels detained at Auckland hv the strike was the docking of the Taint:!, an t t •• berthing of the Waimana. Ihe Autea is having her hull '.leaned and painted, and will return to-morrow fe eonimetire loading for England. Th" (>-T men who arrived from Wellington on Saturday and rejoined tin-ves-el have not done any work o>. hoard since their luggage was left b 1 hind at Wellington, and the men state they cannot do any work until they obtain .suitable chillif'. In consequents shore labour was employed to dock The Waimana was loaded and readv to sail for New York. Boston and I."U--iton when ill" Sink" commenced, and. she has been detained in the stream

After the Tamili left for the dm k the Waimana took the vacant berth a< the Chieon's Wharf to replenish her fresh water tanks. It is understood she is likely to leave for New York at an early date, as arrangements hav< been made for her to obtain a crew to replace those in goal. The Fort Hacking is expected t" leave shortly, also the Devon. ’1 he lalter's liremeil who are in goal have been repilaeed hv volunteer labour, the men being taken off to the vos-el in tin stream this afternoon. A number of policemen watched the awn embark on a launch from steps aL the quay The departure of the launch was noticed by tin' strikers. There was no demonstration.

The Devon arrived from Liverpool on Kept. IHi 1 1 . and -he will proceed Is Wellington. Lyttelton and Dunedin t< complete her discharge ol cargo from till l west of England port-. She iexpeetod to get away to-morrow.

The Port Hacking has boon in port since October Ith.. discharging cargo from New York. She will also unload iit Wellington. Lyttelton. Dunedin and niuif. A fracas in Quay Street this morning w ; i- responsible for the appea" a nee in tin* police court ot F.niest Mills, aged 20. or two charges of as sank. He pleaded guilty to one ant denied the other. It was stated that (wo free labourers who signed on tin Devon were going out of the office of (lie New Zealand Shipping Coy. wlier (hey were attacked by a number o' seamen. Both were abused and badly knocked about. Constable llinemai< arrived shortly afterwards and he

ed. who is a seaman mi the Kent, wa~ pointed out as one of the men wb< made the assault. After evidence Inn been given, accused admitted I '■ charges and was sentenced to on.

couth's imprisonment on each charge

The Police Court was filled to capacity hi- afternoon, when a large number of seamen from overseas shipin (he harbour were charged with various offeiu-es in mining out on strike. At times some of tin l seamen and th* onlooker' in tie- hack ol the court gave vent to their feeling', aml obviously ex-

cit' d'.-I- they were, they gave the po. lice muili trouble in keeping order. Mr K. (". Cutten. S.M. was on tin bench, .-mil Air R Mo\ cagli repi " sent ed the 'hipping companii-- in al

Thirty-six member- ol the crew of the Port Hacking were jointly charge with disobeying lawful commands, neglect of duty, and continued wilful disobedience. They pleaded guilty to the charge uf disoheying command', hut denied neglect of duty. “We have been slaving eight hunts a day." one of iltem said. Captain A. C. Hoad, master of the vessel, said that on October 7th., In commanded the men to make | reparation- to take the vessel to sea. They refused. The same thing happened tin following day. "It we get a i'ullv-uiauned ~hi|i inwill lake her to sea." interjected a seaman. “There has been no neglect oi duty" added another. The Captain stated neglect nt dm lay ill the filet that the accused would not take the ship to w.t. M r MeVcagli 'aid the pro nuts penal! ies had not -n -iceded in achieving the nbjei 1- of the ou net - at d h. i , penalty. 11 lb-- men v.i re not prepared to take the -hip to sea. the charges would he withdrawn. It D refused, he would ask the Magistrate to discharge his pubic dutv. Some ol the men said they won!," take the sl l j ; i to sea tl -he had a lull complement. ■‘ E mier the I m|seria I Act. no qtc. : 1- li \e< I." -aid Mr M \ eagh . Thirty ol the accused were sentenced to -ix week' ‘imprisonment. Six wlm Were under the age of 2 1 were ordered I-' ret urn to t he ship. Till' sentences were hailed with cheers i ... j and mnuy interject ions. | The noise became -o loud that the Magistrate intervened as follows: ' 'The justice of British Courts is knnwn the world over, and it h“linvcs you. as Brit i-liers. u tcspcct it." Hit" of the ,-eamen of the Port Hacking, S. Boyle, who signed on in Wellington. said he w.a- prepared to take the ship provided a erev was found The i barge against hint war- adjourned lot llll'ee weeks. Twenty-nine of the crew oi the Devon were charged with ntubinlng to d’-ohey lawlul eon iinall d-. They were also sentenced to six week'-' imprisonment. At lir-l they pleaded not guilty. The captain of the vessel -aid that on October 7th. the men were a-' rai-c steam so that the vessel could proceed to sea. hot. they iefu-ed. "he are not getting justice." stated one nt the crew. “I will not take I lie ship to sc; less they pay a living wage. Can they prove that £!l ]os a month is sufficient for a man an hi' wife and family:" This remark wa - greeted with cheers.

As the aect'.-ei] teen went from the Court after receiving the sentences, the seamen at the hack commenced ‘•On v.-iird Christian Soldiers." Their effort was r-tJt short hv the rolice. Fourteen seamen from the /final

•.were charged with combining to di obey lawful commands. They were also sentenced to sjx weeks' imprisonment. Ten pleaded guilty and four m't guiltv.

(he Captain said all the men refusal to take the ship to sea when asked to do so.

Kerne coloured seamen from the Trevelyn admitted being absent without leave. Thev said thev would not work for £9 10- a month. Th°v were ordered to forfeit £'l 10- in wages, and to pay 7s costs. An order was made for their return to the ship.

Warrants were issued for the arrest, of two seamen from the vessel, who did not appear. The authorities at Mount Eden reported this evening that ample provision hail been made for the accommodation of the men at the gaol. BRITISH STRIKERS. LONDON, October H. A mass meeting of the striking seamen was held m London, under tho auspices of the Fnotfieial Strike Committee. Subsequently a statement was issued saying that a copy of a verbatim report ol the National Maritime Board was held, proving that Mr Havelock Wilson gave the shipowners the pound per month reduction in the seamen’s wages without the shipowners asking lor any stipulated sum as a reduction. j. The question of the future organisation of the seamen was dealt with, and the Central Strike Committee was instructed to request the I ransport Workers' Union to immediately establish a Seamen's Section of the Union as a means of « initiating the ‘T’.C.H.” namely, a ticket which must he got from tho Skipping Federation, and taken to Havelock Wilson’s federation before a seamen can get a job. The question of continuing or calling i If the -trike was not discussed. LONDON, October 12. At a mass meeting of seamen at Poplar to consider what steps were to he taken in connection with the strike, no decision was reached. Mr Khinwoll was the principal speaker. A further mass meeting will bo held during the coming week. SYDNEY VOLUNTEERS. SYDNEY.' October 12. As a result of the shipowners’ advertisement for volunteer and union lahour to man idle ships, a eonsidetnhlo number olferod themselves at various ! ollices, where the police were stationed to prevent possible interference by pickets hut no pickets were present. Early in the day the Commonwealth and Dominion line secured sufficient to fill requirements. Many of the applicants were not 1 strikers, hut there were sufficient of 1 them to give a point to the shipowners’ claim that the strike is collapsing f The stokehold mew of the steamei ' Nestor have joined the strike.