STEAMERS HELD UP.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 215, 30 January 1913, Page 2

STEAMERS HELD UP.

PROTEST AGAINST NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS. Auckland, January 27. ' Tlie managers of the principal shipping companies received notification from the Auckland Waterside Workers' Union this morning that no work would be done on the wharves to-rnorrow between < 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on account of the funeral of Charles Clyne, a member of the union, who died at the district hospital yesterday as a result of injuries received through being struck by a bale of kapoc in the bold of the steamer Waihora on Thursday.

It is realised that the men immediately concerned in the accident would naturally like to attend the funeral, but the shipping companies are at a loss to understand why 300 odd members of the union, the majority of whom are working on vessels in no way connected with the Waihora, should have decided to cease work.

lii speaking on the mutter the local manager said that the action of the Waterside Workers' Union was in distinct contravention of the articles of agreement under which they were working. Notification had certainly been received from the union officials in May last stating that in the event of a waterside worker being killed on a vessel, or dying as a result of, injuries received, the members would cease work as a mark of respect for their comrade. When approached in regard to the position taken up by the union, Mr. W. R. Canham. president of the Auckland Waterside Workers' Union, said it had been decided to take a day off to-morrow out of respect for Clyne, and as an indication to the shipping .companies that members of the union were of opinion that a great number of the accidents on steamers are preventible. In nineteen days recently, he said, there were eighteen accident's,. "I venture to predict," said Mr. Canham. "'that if we find it necessary to cease work in this way at all frequent, before long the number of fatal accidents will lie reduced to about one per annum." The Union Company is the principal one affected, The Tofua will be delayed in getting away for the Islands, and the Wairuna will also be held up. Subsequently a meeting of the union executive was held and the companies were notified that work would only cease in the morning, when the funeral takes place, and that the men would resume at 1 p.m.