SEAMEN'S DISPUTE.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 September 1917, Page 8

SEAMEN'S DISPUTE.

CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES. Wellington, Sept. l:i. | In rnjiTioctioii with the >eamen's dirt- i pule meetings of both parties were .held to-day am! shipowners' representatives had a private conference w;'Ji Tln- Minister. There is to be another conference of both parties and the Minister tomorrow. A development to-night was the sailing of the Iluia for Wangauui and New Plymouth, and the Baden Powell fur j Lytrelton with extra men for watches. Tiie manager of the Wellington Steamship Company states that tin- company is hardly strong enough to hold out any longer and hopes as a re-nit of his decision that soiiie settlement will lie readied satisfactory to both parties. The opinion of the others concerned is that the action of one company is unlikely to have any genetal eii'c-et. A FURTHER CONFERENCE. Wellington Sept. 11. After the abortive negotiations yosterday between the Premier. Sir .1 o.sc]>li Ward, the Hon. C. W. Russell and representatives of the Seamen's Union and representatives of the Shipowners' Federation. a special meeting of the Seamen's Union was held, and the proposal from the shipowners was unanimously rejected. This morning another largely-attended meeting of the union passed a motion to the #fleet that it could not agree to the proposal for a judge of the Supreme Court to preside over a special tribunal to determine the number of deckhands in a watch at sea, the shipowners having refused the union's suggestion for the Conciliation Commissioner to preside over such tribunr.l. The union now rerfpeetfullv declines to entertain any tribunal to settle such an important and grave question. The union has placed the resolution before the Ministers and representatives of the shipowners, and it is understood a further conference will take place this afternoon between the Minister of Marine and the seamen. SHIP'S PAPERS STOLEN. Wellington, Sept. 13. Just as the Httia was about, to sail to-night it was discovered the ship's articles had been stolen, so the vessel Has unable to sail, notwithstanding all arrangements had been made for a eww and the extra men demanded by the .Soaipeivs Union. SPREADS TO NAPIER. Napier, Last Nighi. The seamen's strike has spread to Napier, and Richardson & Co. s boats, the Kiritone. I'uru, and Echo are laid up at Port Ahuriri. The question in dispute ia the same as in Wellington, the alleged necessity for two men in a watch.