SHIPPING TROUBLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 October 1925, Page 2

SHIPPING TROUBLE.

(Australia A N.Z. Cable Association.]

DEPORTATION BOARD. SYDNEY. Oetobei Id. At Hie Deportation Hoard the Chairman a n non need that the Hoard was of opinion that it had heard sufficient, evidence front striking seamen, and that no »od could he served in hearing anv repetition of the same statements. particularly a- the witnesses refused to allow their evidence to lie tested by Crown cross-examination. He therefore called on Mr Watt to proceed with the next p:yt ot the ease. Mr Watt said it was strange that this decision should synchronise with an article published in a Sydney newspaper. It -cetiied the -t roilgesl evidence to him that the Hoard was tietin*j; umlrr instruction. The Chairman -aid Mr Watt wa- aether in a ver\ improper manner. Ihe Hoard would not be played with any i,linger. If Mr Watt thought the Hoard wa- wrong, he could go to the High ( ommissioner.

Alter further tiring, the Court adjourned till to-morrow to enable Mi Wait to consider the position.

The Deportation Hoard Chairman told Mr Watt there was no further u-e arguing the question. Mr Watt replied that he was lureed to say what he did not want to say. lie had information that there was a tendency to force the Hoard, to a decision that would precipitate a general -trike for electioneering purpo-es. It that wa- -o, it was much to lie regretted. Mr Watt described ti e action of the Hoard in refusing to hear any further evidence as "worse than the actions of the Star Chamber."

HitITISII STRIKE CALLED OFF LONDON. Get. Id. The strike has been called oil at all

The ‘-Daily Express" -tales that the following cablegram lias been despatched to all ports affected : "Advise return to ships. Strike at all ports called oil'." If is signed ‘‘Cannon. Secretary Marine Worker-' I nion. Mr Sliiiiwcll, who was taunted with being a tailor and mu a sailor, admitted that he was not a seaman, after which he had to listen to blunt criticism quite reminiscent of the forecastle. Mr Warren, the chairman, was unable to restore order. The meeting elided in turmoil. Mr Havelock Wilson report- that the strikers are returning to the Sailors’ and Firemen's Union in thousands, many paying up arrears. Some light on the sudden collapse of the seamen's strike is thrown by an oflieial statement issued hy the Sailors' and Firemen's Union, based n,n shorthand notes 'taken at. Sunday's head strike meetings at Canuitigtoun and Foplar. The principal speaker for thu uiioflicinl strikers at Caiiniugtmvii was Mr Ceorgo Hardy, an American Communis! leader, who declared thai he was prepared to carry on the strike, hut owing to hostility, lie refrained from faking a vote. Mr Nhinwell. speaking at the meeting of marine workers at Foplar -aid he had visited Glasgow, the north-east port-. I.iverpool and Soul tiampton. and loiuid not the slighte-t semblance of a strike. So far as he wa- concerned. the strike wa- finished. Great disorder followed. A member of the audience bitterly attacked Ml' Kliimvcll. The striker- carried a re-olmion that the -trike should he ended only on tic under-landing that -tops will lie taken to organise a National Maritime Hoard for the purpose of securin' the effective representation of all the Seamen'- ITiimi-. Should the-' conditions not he a'ecpted. they propose calling a i atiom l l conference.

POSITION IN AUSI’I!A 1.1 \. SYDNEY. Oct. 13. The position in regard to the I’ri ii-li shill- underwent little change Pilin'. Considerable numbers of men. including a proportion of strikers ollered their servings to mail the idle Hops. MELBOURNE. Oct. 13. The President of the Commonwealth Arbitration Court has i tilled a euiiierenee ot the parties to the British seamen's dispute fur Monday next at Sydney. lie explains that the Court did not intervene before because the dispute was world wide, and could not be settled in Australia, but now that it was settled in other places, and a 9 the attempts by the Labour Unions, the dispute committees, the politicians, and the Minister- here Having failed lie considered it his duty to inll a compulsory conference.

PROCESSION AT DUNEDIN. DUNEDIN. October 13. Slum alter nine n’eloek this morning loud singing and the crunch ol the I eel of many marching men. roused tin attention of folk :n the cent ml bti-i- ---- otuu ler oi i lie eity. There wa-

il moment ary paralysis of litt-ine-s along the route taken by a procession of I2u ne'ii. Enlightenment as to the nature el the prois's-ion was evident in the nature ol a banner bearing ill word.-. "We are your distributors: Transport is on essential in industry!" Another banner. roughly got up, bore the aiiinnineenient : "lbll We fight for the capitalists; IP2A The e.-ipi iali -t - light Hi!" T. e tig a murehed to the Police Court. where fix seamen of the Raranga were charged with combining to reItise duty, and the eases were adjourned till row to give them a last

opportunity of resuming work. AH A ( . Hanlon prosecuted, and Air 11. Bir-eh appeared |.,r the men. with a " No- guilty " plea. Mr Hanlon said all l|,e (combers ol tbe crew ,u tho Bl it i-h -tealiter Rarauga arrived in New Zealand at the beginning ol tin' month, and. on October Hii. they were asked to turn to in ’ lei stokehold. but they declined. Slant!' a!terward-. some of the men went to the captain, and said they could not, take the -hip to sea. Each man ot the crew later bore that out. Fur a day or two. they had a i l.anec ; o change their minds in the matter. The.' were prepared to work the ship While she was at the "hart, but would not take her out. It might be mentioned that tile captain'.- opinin') was that the crew ua - a tir-t cla-* one. 1 bey are. -aid Air Hanlon, fighting Do -omc principle, and. in order to bring about the desired re-nit. they went on 'trike. Henry Robert Cordon. Master ! the Raranga. said the -hip arrived at Dunedin. on '•■i.leniher 27th. and had no (rouble with the men. Litter witness got a report D'e.ta the ( liiet Engineer. subsei|iietitly a deputation enn-i-ting of three sailors and three firemen waited upon him, am! said thev had route ro a decision not to take the -mp to -ea. they were prepared to do partial duty, that was to do the necessary work mi the ship while -he was in port. lliev added that this was the opinion of the entire new. -'ll liraseb submitted Dun there was

enarged with Laving combined to resist lawful command-. It had to lie proved that commands were given, and that they were lawful r.iiumatid-. and that such commands were disobeyed. A\ here, he asked was the evidence of any command? They had the evidence of the captain and the chief officer that the men ivpfe asked collectively

and individually whether they would take the ship to sea, hut it was a mere request, followed by a verbal negative. This was not disobedience to a command. The only one alleged was the command to take the ship to sea. Every command, counsel contended, was not a lawful command. In this case, there was no such command.

The Magistrate said Mr llraseh had presented a very ingenious explanation hut it was not substantial. The evidence was particularly full and definite that collectively and individually they refused to do a particular duty. "We would like the men to be

given an opportunity to resume duty on the ship," said Mr Hanlon. This, he added, was a squabble that had started in England, and there it should Ik; fought out. He repeated the request that the men he first given an oppflP-

tunity of rejoining the ship. " I would he very loth to send the men to gaol on this charge." said the Magistrate. "The Captain has given the men excellent characters. I would like to point out to the men that this is a matter in which neither the New Zoml;iu<l pi'Mic nor ;iny organisation in New Zealand ate directly concerned. In the ordinary course it ought to toughi out at Home." He would he prepared to adjourn the proceedings with a view to the men returning to work. Mr llraseh said he did not know what the men s mind was in that matter. The Magistrate, to make the position quito clear, said that the Court was not concerned with the shipping dispute. It could' not go into its merits or demerits. If these men had commit ted a breach ol law, the penally would have to lie such as would bring about compliance with the law, and perhaps act as a deterrent in such matters. An adjournment till to-morrow morning was decided on. the Magistrate remarking that if the position solved itself. these charges would not ho gone on with.