COASTAL SHIPPING DISPUTE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1060, 24 October 1911, Page 4

COASTAL SHIPPING DISPUTE.

DEADLOCK CONTINUES

The dispute between coastal mates and the owners of the smaller vessels continues to be at a deadlock. The shipowners held a meeting at Wellington on Saturday morning to review the nosition.

Captain I). J. Watson, secretary Merchant Service Guild, received the following letter on Saturday morning from the Shipowners’ Federation: —

“ Dear Sir, —At a meeting of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Shipowners’ Federation held to-day, it was reported that your guild was taking a ballot of its members to decide what course to adopt in connection with proposals made by the larger steamship-owners. lam instructed to point out to you the unfair position in whi£h your guild is placing the small steamship owners, in that while the larger steamers are permitted to run under the old conditions pending the guild’s decision, the guild will not allow its members to return to their positions on the smaller boats. My members think that in common fairness your guild should put them on the same looting regarding the small steamers as the larger steamers occupy. I have, therefore, to suggest that the guild should agree to allow its members to work the small steamers under present conditions until the result of the ballot is known and the guild finally decides what course it will adopt with regard to the whole dispute. Your early reply will oblige. Yours faithfully, William Pryor, secretary.” The following reply was forwarded by Captaiu Watson to the Shipowners’ Federation. : “ The Secretary, N.Z. Shipowners’ Federation, Wellington. “ Dear Sir, —1 have to acknowledge the receipt of yours of even date, and in reply thereto desire to state that it is a fact that the Guild is submitting the proposals of the larger steamship owners to the members, before deciding what action will be taken. Previously I stated that the Guild could not admit that the dispute in connection with the larger shipowners had any bearing on that of the smaller vessels. Even if the decision of the officers of the larger steamers was in favour of accepting the proposals, it would not make the slightest difference to the attitude of the members of the Guild in regard to the dispute with the coastal vessels, lor the conditions are entirely different. There is, of course, an easy solution to the whole difficulty—that is that the owners of the coastal vessels agree to our terms, and the officers will at once resume duty. Yours faithfully, D. J. Watson.” Mr Rogers, manager of the Anchor Company, arrived at Wellington on Saturday from Nelson to attend the meeting of the owners.