AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 May 1928, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. >

COOKS’ STRIKE. .MELBOURNE, -May 25.. Although the merchants and exporters are anxious about their idle cargoes and heavy losses, they are not making any move at present to_ apply to the Federal Government for the suspension of the Navigation Act to relieve the position, as all sections desire a settlement of the cooks’ dispute without resorting to extreme measures.

Mr Tudehope (Secretary of the Cooks’ Union) has conferred with the Waterside Workers’ Federation, and a policy for the conduct of the dispute was decided on. It includes putting tlie onus on the owners of refusing a conference- with the cooks and the watersiders, which organisations now claim to he both managing the dispute.

If, as expected the shipowners refuse to grant such a conferenc, the watersiders and the cooks will leave it to the owners to directly extend the dispute and if more vessels are tied up, or the dispute is not settled within the next few days, the watersiders will throw in their lot with the cooks, thus directly extending the strike throughout Australia, and putting the onus on the other maritime Unions of joining in the strike. Unless the dispute is settled in the meantime, all of the inter-state passenger steamers, with the exception of those running between Melbourne and Tasmania, will be rendered idle next week.

A SUDDEN CHANGE. MELBOURNE, May 25. Secret negotiations lietwoen the Cooks’ Union and tiie shipowners have commenced. The Union officials state these will probably result in a resumption of work next week.

SYDNEY SAFE-BLOWERS. SYDNEY, May 25. *

Safeblowers, after opening a safe at Wallace’s factory at Leiehardt, and finding it empty, set fire to the building, causing £OOOO worth of damage. This is the second case of the kind within a fortnight. The previous one was Beard Brothers’ case, cabled on May 14th.