THE STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 February 1920, Page 5

THE STRIKE.

THE MARINE ENGINEERS. MAJORITY AGAINST RESUMPTION. By Teleeraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received FeFb. 4, 9.20 p.m. Sydney, Feb. 4. The marine engineers' ballot resulted in a majority of 215 against resumption. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. COAL SHORTAGE IN ADELAIDE. Adelaide, Feb. 4. As the result of the coal shortage caused by tho shipping strike, restrictions will be enforced on Thursday to prohibit electric power for industrial purposes. The use of electricity and gas for lighting and' cooking wiU be drastically restricted. UNEMPLOYED IN VICTORIA. Melbourne, Feb. 4There are now 9000 unemployed as the result of the shipping strike. DISLOCATED INDUSTRY. ALARMING POSITION. Sydney, Jan. 28It is two months since the marine engineers took the course not generally followed by professional men and called a strike. Everyone expected the trouble to be, over in a week or two. It is still as much "on" as ever it was, and the community is beginning to feel alarmed. The small coastal shipping has not been affected, and coal and foodstuffs have therefore been able to move from place to place, to a limited degree; but now a "pinch" is developing, and the gravest apprehension is being expressed in many quarters.

Many big industries are now partly or wholly idle. The great smelters at Port Pirie, customarily employing 2000 hands, are now almost wholly shut down, and the shutting off of supplies of coal from the East threatens to close up almost immediately the town's lighting and power plant.

' Tfc is estimated that 25,000 men are idle in Australia as a result of the strike. In Sydney alone there are thousands of waterside workers and carters who arc faced with starvation. The paralysis on a great section of the wharves has cut them off from their means of livelihood, and the Government is understood to be favorably considerin" their urgent appeal for relief. The whole of the meat-canning factories in New South Wales have closed this week, and more than 2000 men are idle as a result of that alone. All of the large inter-State steamers are idle. The total tonnage tied up at the wharves as a result of the strike is about 250,000.

[Terms of settlement of the dispute between the marine engineers and the shipping owners, embodying a Blight advance on the New Zealand rates, were submitted to the engineers by the owners at a conference held two weeks ago at the suggestion of the Federal Prime Minister, Mr. Hughes. A ballot was taken, which resulted in a rejection of the terms by a majority of 49. The grievance of the marine engineers is that the Tocent award' to ordinary seamen and {ire-men left their own wages too low in comparison with their status on Iwaitl ship. The present rates of pay are from £ls !0s a month for junior engineers to £42 for seniors. The engineers want these rates raised to £l9 6s and to £6l, an increase approximately of from 25 to nearlv 50 per cent. The Commonwealth Shipping Controller at first offered tbe New Zealand rates; ranging from £lB to £so],