FOUR MORE SHIPS IDLE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 354, 15 May 1928, Page 9

FOUR MORE SHIPS IDLE

Owners Take Up Gauntlet FIGHT COOKS AT OWN GAME New Zealand Vessels Unaffected (United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) Reed. 9.50 a.m. SYDNEY, Monday. AWING to the failure of the marine cooks to man the eight V idle Huddart-Parker vessels, the shipowners have taken the extreme course of laying up four additional vessels. Twenty-four hours’ notice of dismissal has been given the crews. The vessels are: Karoola and Ulooloo, both in Sydney; and the Bombala and Lowana, both at Melbourne.

It is significant that the principal members of the Inter-State Shipowners’ Federation are concerned in this latest move, while the Australian United Steamship Navigation Company became Involved when the Kanowna was held up. The general belief is that the shipowners intend to take up the gaunlet, and fight the cooks on job control. The Marama, Maunganul, and Kaiapoi, which are on New Zealand articles, are not likely to be drawn into the conflict; but the Union Company’s other vessels, the Ngakuta and Ngatoro, which leave Sydney to-day on Australian articles, are so far unaffected. No official reason has been given by the shipowners for their action, beyond the statement that it accords with their ultimatum, and that they are being forced to lay up the steamers owing to the uncertain position on the waterfront. A meeting of the marine stewards is being held in Sydney to-day, to discuss the position and also the sale of the Commonwealth Line, as it is reported that the crews of this line are being paid off by the Kylsant Company on arrival in London, and replaced with lower-paid crews, the Australians being repatriated. No representative of the Cooks’ Union attended the Melbourne conference of the Australasian Trades Unions yesterday. This has been adjourned till Wednesday, at the request of Mr. Tudehope, Federal Secre-

tary of the Cooks’ Union, who arrived in Sydney from Brisbane yesterday, and has left for Melbourne. The crew of the Huddart-Parker Company’s steamer Moorabool was paid off earlier and the vessel tied up. A special meeting of shipowners at Melbourne yesterday considered a telegram from the Cooks’ Union suggesting a settlement of the dispute on the following terms: — That the men should resume work immediately under the suspended award, the question of the roster to be subject to a conference if required after the resumption of work. It was suggested that these terms should be subject to ratification at a meeting of the cooks to-morrow. The telegram requested an extension of the time for a resumption of work until Wednesday. The shipowners replied referring the men to their ultimatum and adding that the owners in any case would insist upon a free selection of men and a*total abandonment of the roster system; also upon their right to engage men with good discharges at ships’ sides or elsewhere. The union once more telegraphed, again requesing an extension of time and suggesting that if this were granted a representative of the men should immediately go to Melbourne to discuss terms of settlement. The owners refused the request, stating that the ultimatum would expire last night and that no extension would be granted.