SHIPPING DEADLOCK

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9790, 13 October 1917, Page 7

SHIPPING DEADLOCK

MEN TAKE FIRM STAND SUGGEST A ROUND TABLE CONFERENCE. UNFAIR METHODS ALLEGED. There is at present very little sign of an early solution of the difficulty between the owners of the smaller coastal steamers and tho seamen. At a meeting of the Seamen’s Union yesterday morning it was decided not to have anything to do with the Arbitration Court but to urge instead a round-thc-tablo conference with mo shipowners, with the Minister for Marine (the Hon. G. W. Russell) as chairman. Tho seamen’s position was explained to a “New Zealand Times” representative yesterday by tho officials of the Seamen’s Union. At tho interview last Saturday between the Prime Minister and the Minister for Marino and tho acting secretary (Mr J. Adams) and assistant secretary (Mr G. Nation; of tho Union, the Minister for Marine offered to preside at a conference between the shipowners and the seamen, and suggested as a basis for a settlement that two men bo employed m a watch from sunset till sunrise. Un last Monday afternoon the report of the Union’s acting secretary and assistant secretary was discussed at the special meeting of the Seamen’s Union, and the men passed the following resolution: —“That the members of the union refuse absolutely to have anything to do with tho clauses °f ° ur agreement now before the Arbitration Court.” The meeting considered that an unfair advantage had been taken of the present position of the secretary (Air W. T. Young) and his assistant (Mr F. Howell), who were now unable to look after the interests of the union. Another motion carried unanimously at Monday’s meeting of the Seamen’s Union was:—“That this meeting of members only adopt the suggestion of the Hon. G. W. Russell to the effect that the conference he held between representatives of the shipowners and Seamen’s Union with the Minister for Marin© as chairman, to discuss the question of two men in a watch as suggested by the Hon. Mr Russell in the interview last Saturday.” SHIPOWNERS’ TERMS. Yesterday morning another special meeting of the union was held at the Trades Hall. Mr J. Adams, president, occupied the chair, and there were about two hundred members present. The following letter was received from the Wellington branch of the Shipowners’ Federation through the Conciliation Commissioner (Air W. H. Hagger):— “I have to inform you that at a meeting of this branch of the Shipowners’ Federation, Held to-day (Wednesday), it was decided to agree to a conference being held under tho following conditions: — “(1) Men to return to work immediately on the conditions in force at the time the vessels stopped running. ‘‘(2) That all matters in dispute, including two men in a watch, be dealt with by this conference. “(3) That any matter not settled by the conference be referred to tho, Arbitration Court, the decision of the Court to be binding on all parties. “(4) That the demands of the seamen be submitted to the shipowners twenty-four hours before the conference takes place. The meeting was further of the opinion that it was neither necessary nor desirable to appoint a chairman such as is proposed.” , The citation papers received on Thursday by the acting secretary of the union to appear at the Arbitration Court on Alonday next, the terms of which have appeared in these columns, were also submitted to the meeting. After some discussion tho meeting unanimously decided:—“That this meeting of members refuses to have anything to do with the Arbitration Court, and will only discuss the question of two men in a watch at a round-the-table conference with the shipowners, the Hen. Mr Russell to he chairman, and the conference to be on the lines suggested by the Minister for Alarine at the interview with the union officials last Saturday.” The meeting opened at 11 a.m. and concluded at 1 p.m. The decision of the seamen will be forwarded to Mr F. W. Rowley (Secretary of tho Labonr Department). POSITION AT NAPIER. The Napier ‘'Telegraph” states: So far as the coastal shipping trouble is concerned, there is no further development locally, the matter of settlement entirely depending on what is done at Wellington. It was rumoured that Messrs” Richardson were increasing the crew of the Karu s° that she could resume her coastal running with two men in a watch, but this is contradicted by the firm.