SHIPPING TROUBLE.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 October 1925, Page 1

SHIPPING TROUBLE.

[Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.] NON-STRIKERS ATTACK ED. SYDNEY. Oct. 27. A nunilier of stewards on the steamer Nestor who had refused to join the strike, were inveigled to a dance last night and were attacked and roughly handled bv a mob of strikers. One of the lady dancers informed a police patrol, which came to the rescue and escorted the men to the sliip. One of the stewards was so severely knocked about that he was sent to hospital. Three or four others were badly bruised. The steamer Port Sydney, which had been held up by strikers at Brisbane, reached Sydney to-day. POLICE PROTECTION. FREMANTLE. Oct. 27. For the first time since the strike began a strong police guard was provided for the arrival of the ship Enlon. from New York. The strikers gave the vessel a wide berth and the Enton tied up without, incident. Lumpers are discharging the cargo. HOAXED STRIKERS. BRISBANE, Oct. 27. Strikers are incensed over a. ruse whereby the steamer Paparoa was enabled to leave Townsville. Several motor-cars, filled with police, were sent to a jetty where the steamer Somerset was lying, attracting the strikers thither. The Paparoa seized the opportunity to swing out, en route to London via Torres Straits. When the stril id's returned they realised that they had been hoaxed, hut it was too late to do anything, beyond demonstrating angrily.

MR LANG’S SIDE-STEPPING. SYDNEY, October 2S

Questioned in the Assembly whether he would bring pressure to hear on the Lumpers’ Union to coal the idle ships, also as the primary producers were prepared to do the work, would lie see that ample protection was afforded them, Mr Lang replied the matter had received his attention and nothing helpful would he gained by asking questions at this juncture. STOKEHOLD STAFF ABSENT. AUCKLAND, October 20. Owing to the absence of the stokehold staff at sailing time, the Northern Company’s steamer Clansman was unable to sail this evening lor Russell and northern ports. There were thirty passengers on board. The delay follows upon the recent trouble regarding the duties of donkeymen on New Zealand steamers, as a sequel to the refusal of tlie men to operate the valves, pumps, and other machinery. Legal action is being taken by the Labour Department against the local officials of the Seamen’s Union. The case is to be heard on Wednesday in Auckland, and the greasers and firemen of the Clansman have been subpoenaed io give evidence for the union. As the ship would not be back in Auckland until next Friday, they were paid off on Saturday, and this morning four men were signed on in their place. The Clansman was timed to sail at, five o’clock this evening, hut at that time there was no appearance of the new men. After waiting for some time to see if they would show up the departure of the ship was postponed until to-morrow evening. THE COASTAL DISPUTE. LABOUR DEPARTMENT TAKES ACTION.

AUCKLAND, Oct. -’B. I'lit; trouble which hits arisen over tlutios of tloiikeyiiKMi on coastal steamers was I,rough!. to the jurisdiction of the .Magistrate's Court, to-day, when tin; Lahour Department, represented liy .Mr (’. A. Beromlscn, claimed it penalty of £i’(Xl from the Seamen’s Keileration of .New Zealand ( .Mr T. Young) on a charge of having ineiteil or instigated an unlawful strike. The Labour Department further claimed £IOO penallies for illegal breach of award, and for having taken proceedings with intent to defeat, certain provisions of the award. The ease was heard before Alt' K. C. Cutten, S.AI. Owing to an objection by Air Voting, the hearing of similar charges against. Charles Bertie hit tea and himself was deferred until the conclusion of the main case. Air Borendsen (for the Department) said the case arose from a dispute over tlic duties of doiikeymen and of firemen performing the duties of donkc.vinen. Il hud been customary for donkeymen to perform (ortain work in connection v. ilit the valves on shipboard. Ti c award provided that when in port doiikeymen or firemen keeping steam might be called on to work for any consecutive eight- hours, and that those workers should look alter the engines and auxiliaries. The Ciiioii circularised its members advising them that the Exoeuiivo Council had considered the matter of the members working the valves, and it had decided (lint the men were no longer the work the valves. 'I Inis the KxectUivo Council definitely advised th.o members nf the Ciiion 10 ignore the provisions ot the award. Ihe workers on certain ships had ceased to operate the valves, and some had gone further and rot used to do certain other work.

AYilliam Thomas Young. General Secretary of the Seamen’s Federation, was called by the prosecution. Me said he wrote the circular. The point was that the working of valves was dangerous, lie suggested that the working of machinery appertaining to the engine department was not the business of an unnertiiieatod man. Ibe circulat was intended io operate only in the engine department. Charles Bertie Fines. General President of the Federation, was also called by the prosecution. He said tbo decision to issue the circulars was madeon the principle of the preservation of life and limb. There was not the same danger with winches. Maurice Patterson, Assistant Marine Superintendent of the Northern Steamship Coy., said that man on ihe Clansman had refused to open the valvc-s or touch the machinery in the engineroom. The next ship affected was the Wnipii. and a definite order to open a certain valve was refused by two men. Practically all the ships were atfected after that. He did not think there was any danger in operating the enoiiic-room valves. Them was pi act 1 criliy no difference between the engineroom and winch valves. Cross-examined, the witness said he took the words “looking after' in the award to mean the work of operation He had never boon authorised to tell a fireman to shut off and start again, tint it was a customary procedure. *Tohn Darling Douglas, formerly engineer of the Glenelg. said two firemen o-rensers advised him they could not garrr out thir customary dimes. ' I„ replv to Air Young, witness said he took the words “looking after to mean general attention on the part of the firemen or donkey-men. Alfred Sneyd, engineer of the A\ atpu. also gave evidence of the refusal ot his firemen-greasers to work the va ve». It was impossible for witness to do the whole of the work himself, ami he refused to go to sea under those conditions On a latter occasion the men again refused, but the ship sailed and witness worked the valves. Afr Young: you received a citation from the Labour Dtpartment for a breach of Article Sis. Witness; No, I hare not!

Air Young: It may bo a pleasure in store for you I Further evidence was given by the engineers of the Rimu, Alanaia, and Wakatere, regarding the refusal of men to do the valve work. The men had performed all other duties, except that the greasers bad avoided answering the telegraph. It had been tho general praetic for donkeymen to do the valve work in ports, and the greasing while at sea. The case will be resumed to-morrow. N.Z. STRIKE ENDS. WELLINGTON, October 28. On Friday last, the overseas seamen agreed to hand over their dispute to the Alliance- of Labour. Tlie Alliance immediately communicated with the owners and shipping companies’ representatives that a conference be held with a view to considering ways and means in which the dispute could he adjusted, and the trouble terminated. A reply was received from the overseas representatives stating they had already decided on their terms of settlement at a conference commenced by the Prime Minister, and that, no good purpose would he served by a conference with the Alliance of Labour. The question was considered by a meeting of the National Council of Labour yesterday morning, and it, was decided that, in view of the present position of the dispute, they would advise the overseas seamen to return to their ships. This was placed before a meeting of the seamen yesterday afternoon, and the recommendations of the Council were agreed to. The recommendations ol the Alliance of Labour are being telegraphed to the other parts of the Dominion, and in the meantime negotiations are in progress in regard to the returning of the men to their ships.