AUSTRALIAN SEAMEN

Hokitika Guardian, 9 March 1926, Page 1

AUSTRALIAN SEAMEN

WALSH AND .IDIIANNSEX. SYDNEY. February 26. Interim! dissension, arising mainly nit of the handling of the recent, strike if British seamen, lias marked Hie afairs of the Australian Seamen’s Union dime the end of 1925. There is bitter

war being waged between two factions and curiously these tactions are led by those erstwhile partners in one of the greatest constitutional fights in Australia's history. Al.ossrs AYalsh and Johanneii. So frcqeuntly have their names been coupled in seamen’s aflairs that li was thought by the general public with no inside knowledge that they were as inseparable in adversity and prosperity alike as the Siamese twins. But apparently this is not so. According to the best authority, the split between the two men started when they were incarcerated oil Garden Island. Sydney, during the heaving in the High Court of their appeal against deportation. At all events, ii was not long after their release, that .hdiaiiiiscii began casting black suspicion on AA’alsli and some of AYaUli's cronies concerning the bandling of the A'ietorian branch’s finances. The New Smith Wales branch appointed .Tobaiillsen as head of a comin'tlec

to investigate financial matters. The Vicioriais officials, urged by AA’nlsli. who had hurried over from Sydney, resolutely refused to hand over the books. The climax came in Sydney on Tuesday. A slopwork meeting of seamen was held, and ended in disorder, with Walsh and .TiJhannson excitedly gesticulating at each other. .Tohannsen made a speech lasting for an hour and 20 minutes, charging Walsh, who is general president. Raeburn (general scent ary). and the AHelorian branch officials with sabotage of the Sydney committee's investigations. Proposing a vote of no-confidence, he alleged that they bad been slack in their duty, that the Svdnev committee had been ldnderod in its work and that C 1072 of the union’s funds was missing. Afr Raeburn gave those allegations the lie direct. After many pleasantries had boon exchanged, the chief actors found themselves talking mainly to themselves about themselves, and the meeting faded away. DTRTY LINEN.

AA’bile this happy little function was being staged in Sydney, the Victorian branch was engaged in similar scrubbing of dirty linen at Melbourne. There one member who had been appointed to investigate financial matters, reported Hint a member of the, union whom he found to be involved in discoveries lie made had slashed him with a knife. When this man’s name was

di-covei cd he hotly denied the charge and hurriedly left the room, alleging that Communists vat! the I.AA.AA. lure framing charges against linn. Ti e discoveries are stated to indicate forger.' of the union’s coupons, allegedly printed in the city to the order of a well-known member ol the union. O'Neill, assistant secretary of the union, disclosed that a detective had been at work on the matte!'. and stated that if i: was shown that, forged tickets had been used, prosecutions would be launched.

Thy half-yearly statement ot vh ■ New South AA'ales branch of the union shows that" the branch was £337 worse olf than at the beginning of the hallyear, and that result was only obtained after “borrowing” £7l front the British seamen’s relief fund. There was a decrease in the branch's revenue ol esfll. The British seamen’s relief lund totalled £2803. All this money was banked with the funds of the Sydney branch. and “owing to the reduction in branch revenues,” it was drawn oil to the extent, of £74. The outgoings under the head “wages” amounted to £'997 for the half year. The legal expenses for the same period aggregated £1073.