“GRAVER THAN EVER”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 221, 7 December 1927, Page 1

“GRAVER THAN EVER”

Watersiders Dissatisfied

DID NOT ATTEND COURT Federal Government’s Call THE latest reports from Australia show that the prospects » of an immediate settlement of the waterside strike have become clouded. The unions are dissatisfied with the proposed terms of agreement, and have refused to end the dispute. The position is reported as being graver than it has been for some days. By Cable.—Press Association. — Copyright.

Received 10.40 a.m. MELBOURNE, To-day. 'J'HE shipowners attended the Arbitration Court three tim4s yesterday, but the representatives of the Watersiders’ Federation failed to appear. It is stated that their absence was due demands made by the owners, which were not acceptable to the union, and which, it is claimed, would have rendered the conference a failure. No steps were taken by the federation to end the dispute, and when the meeting of the Federal Management Committee concluded it was announced that the strike would continue until the position reached a more satisfactory stage from the union’s point of view. The situation on the waterfront is now graver than it has been for several days, and the prosoects of an early settlement are uncertain. Unless the pick-up dispute is more clearly defined between the parties, there is every probability that the strike will be further prolonged. Because of yesterday’s events, the relations between the Management Committee of the Watersiders’ Federation and the Australian and New Zealand Council of Trades Unions, and the Melbourne Trades Hall Council have become strained, and it is probable that the negotiations between those bodies, which have been conducted for several days, will be discontinued. Through the advent of the Emergency Committee of the Australian and New Zealand Council, the Arbitration Court was induced to intervene in the trouble, and it is stated unofficially that the Watersiders’ Federation had refused to agree to the terms of settlement proposed by the Council, which had urged the Federation to declare off the overtime strike. Although the Management Committee had carried a resolution advising the branches that they must abide by the awards, it is contended that there are other matters in dispute which were not breaches of the award, but which the shipowners asser'ed were contravening the provisions of the award.

There are now 16 oversea and 29 Inter-State steamers idle at Melbourne. Officials of the Federation asserted that the demands of the shipowners would not be agreed to by the Feder : ation, which had led to a hitch in the conference. —A. and N.Z.

FREE LABOUR SHIPOWNERS’ DECISION CONFERENCE AWAITED MELBOURNE, Tuesday. After the shipowners’ conference to-day an announcement was made on their behalf to-night that, as the watersiders continued to refuse to work under the conditions of the award, they had no alternative but to call for other labour. The door, however, is still left open. They will not take a decisive step until the decision of the Arbitration Court conference, called by Judge Beeby, for to-morrow morning, is

known. If the conference should prove futile, they will then proceed to engage free labour. It is understood that before this decision was reached allthe State Premiers were consulted by wire, and assurances were received that in the event of free labour being called in, the necessary protection would be forthcoming. This decision could not be acted upon at once. It will take some days probably to assemble and regulate the non-unionists. It is stated that the Sydney owners are fully ready to follow any step taken in Melbourne.—A. and N.Z. NO BUTTER EXPORT SYDNEY’S BIG SURPLUS PRICE REDUCED Reed. 9.5 a.m. SYDNEY, To-day. As a result of the strike, butter export has been brought to a standstill. With its spring production in full swing and still increasing, New' South Wales has a surplus over local requirements of from 10,000 to 12,000 boxes weekly. Failing an early settlement, the hopes of the traders of shipping some of the butter to London rest on the Commonw'ealth Line; but it will only be able to take a proportion of the exportable surplus. Efforts are being made to dispose of as much as possible locally. With this object in view, the price has been reduced Id a lb. The export of stone fruits to New Zealand and North Queensland has been cut off, and the supplies thrown on the Sydney markets at reduced prices; Five more steamers which arrived yesterday will be unable to discharge their cargo. The owners of the Ihumata have decided to call for labour in an attempt to unload the vessel. — A. and N.Z.

SHORTAGE OF PROVISIONS

RELIEF SOUGHT BY ALBANY Reed. 9.5 a.m. PERTH, To-day. The president of the Albany Chamber of Commerce has telegraphed to the Associated Steamship Owners, Melbourne, asking that in view of the shortage of provisions at Albany, exemption he granted to wharf labourers to work the cargo steamer Kooyong, which has arrived at Albany with a cargo of provisions. This is the first cargo to arrive in five weeks. —A. and N.Z. SUMMONED TO COURT PARTIES TO DISPUTE Reed. 10.5 a.m. CANBERRA, To-day. In the House of Representatives, Mr. Stanley Bruce, Prime Minister, announced that the parties to the waterside dispute had been summoned to appear in the Arbitration Court to-day.—A. and N.Z.