THE SHIPPING TROUBLE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 93, 10 October 1911, Page 5

THE SHIPPING TROUBLE

THE OFFICERS' GRIEVANCES. By Telegraph—Press Association. Timaru, Last Night. The s.s. Putiki arrived from Greymouth, timber laden, on Saturday afternoon. Her two mates went to the Customs this morning, and signed off and left the ship. The Putiki was to have begun discharging this morning, hut 'the watersiders decided not to work until they had communicated with the executive of the federation. The. secretary wired' early to Wanganui, but did not get a reply till 1.30 p.m. The reply was that the executive had- not finally decided, as the Merchants' Guild 'had not communicated with them, and the men should, work until further advised. ft is understood here that further advice depends on the result of to-day's conference at Wellington-. Consequently work was proceeded! with this afternoon.

RUMORS OF A GENERAL SHIPPING STRIKE. liivercargill, Last Night. An echo of the merchant service trouble has been heard at Bluff. It was reported on Saturday that the mates of the s.s. Breeze had'left the vessel, and' that the men engaged in unloading coal had also gone out. It is now understood that the officers, after consultation with the captain, returned to Ihsir posts, and to-day were performing their duties as usual. The secretary of the Waterside Union maintains that his men did) not strike, but ceased work owing to the extraordinary number of ailments which suddenly broke out among them. The fact is that the Breeze had been considerably delayed in unloading.

A rumor afloat that tbe mates of the Union Company's coasters intend coming out to-day lacks confirmation, but all sorts of rumors are current regarding the possible happenings in event of shipowners not meeting the officers, for whom there is a great deal of sympathy, lit is quite on the cards that in the event of a genera] strike of officers, the members of the Seamen's and Waterside Unions would refuse to work the boats, which would come under the ban of th? Merchants' Service Guild.

WHAT THE MATES SAID. Invereairgill, Last Night. News just received from the Bluff states that the mates of the s.s. Breeze wish it to be distinctly understood they are not out on strike, but acting under instructions from' Captain Wilson, secretary of the Merchant Service Guild. They will proceed with the vessel to Dunedin and leave her there. They also say there is no doubt hat unless the demands are acceded to, the Union Company's mates will go out.