THE SEAMEN'S DISPUTE.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 September 1917, Page 4

THE SEAMEN'S DISPUTE.

REFERRED TO' SPECIAL TRIB'JN 4®fc

MR. JUSTICE COOPER TO PRESIDE "

By Telegraph.—Press Association) Wellington, Last Night,. The, Prime Minister lias written to uiS Seamfiri's Union stating that ha has ap« proached Mr. Justice Cooper, with a view to his acting as chairman of ths tribunal to deaj with the seamen's dispute, and that Mr: ,Justice Cooper had expressed his willingness to act. The board will consist of a chairman and a represents tive from each side.

, The union held a. meeting, and decidefc ,to nominate Captain Stringer, of tha Government shipping office, as its representative. The union expresses a wish thai ' i-the tribunal shall heart the representatives of tie sea* evidence in respect of the matter, prior $ giving its decision, and that representatives of the press be present toj publicly record the proceedings. The union added that the agreement for thi» tribunal was conditional on the prosecutions pending against union officials he-t ing either withdrawn ox determined, am| that no action be taken By the uniAp till either eventuates.

The Shipowners' Federation hag fon warded a reply to Mr. Masssy agtee* ing to the* dispute being referred to tha board, but stating that ,if the in* quiry is to deaiL with all'the matter:, iri dispute it will be necessary to provida two representatives,on each side. Tha federation suggests that all matters in dispute should be referred to the beard/ that two representatives should be npi pointed by each side; that tlie union should formulate its demands in ■vrtting, and undertake that its members resume work' immediately on the board's \ decision being made known.

TROUBLE SPREADS TO' DUNEDiIf. Dunedin, Last Niglit The coastal, seamen's trouble has tended to Dunedin.. The Kot'are, wESclt arrived to-day, is being laid up indefinitely. The men were to have been paid off to-day. '