Chronic Unrest

Shannon News, 1 September 1925, Page 4

Chronic Unrest

WITH BEST CONDITIONS IN WORM*. WHAT'S WRONG WITH AUSTRALIAN MARINERS? (Received Sunday, 7 p.m.) LONDON, August 29. Mr. Henson, in referring to the reply of the executive of the Australian : seamen to Mr. Havelock Wilson's mes-1 sage, repudiated the Australian contention that: "We are just as con ~ cerned with British seamen as witft Australian, because if British and foreign shipowners reduce wages, such action must affect Australians. , That was simply "tosh." Australian;, conditions were local and absolutely unaffected by either British or' foreign action. Australians were entirely outside European competition. German, French, Italian and Dutch companies were paying onehalf the British rates; therefore they ■ could compete successfully with British ships, but Australians are immune from such competition. The executive admits that the Australian seamen's conditions are much better than those that prevail in any other part of the world, yet the Australian seamen's chronic industrial unrest exceeds the troubles of the combined seamen's unions of the whole world. ' . A a "The obvious moral is that Australian had better safeguard her own interests, instead of butting into British affairs against an overwhelming preponderance of British

trade unionism." British shipowners have again cabled their Australian representatives, instructing them not to depart from the Maritime Board's rates of wa?es and conditions, also declining \o negotiate for any settlement through the Australian Seamen s Union.

Headquarters of the British seamen reports that the men are signing on in London and all provincial ports without exception. T ( h e Union has cabled the secretary of Trades Hall, Melbourne, advising that" the men should return to their vessels, leaving the disputed questions to be settled in Britain.