THE FIJI TROUBLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 February 1920, Page 5

THE FIJI TROUBLE.

THE TROOPS HELD UP. SHIP'S FIREMEN REFUSE DUTY. DEADLOCK EVENTUALLY REMOVED By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. Attempts were made in Auckland today to prevent the Tutanekai, which arrived • from Wellington this morning, from sailing for Fiji with a military force. Trouble appeared early in the morning. The Tutanekai carries enough coal to make Fiji in fine weather, but it was desired to load another 70 tons as a safeguard against hurricanes, which may be expected about this season. A hulk was therefore brought alongside at ten o'clock, but no labor was forthcoming, the watersiders' chief reason apparently being that the vessel was engaged on a strike-breaking expedition. It was also apparent from remarks on the wharf that some 'of the watersiders resented the proposals to take coal from Auckland. The authorities decided that the vessel 3hould sail without coal, the time fixed being 5 p.m. Shortly before that hour a deputation of firemen waited on Captain Post and demanded their discharges. The spokesman said that when they signed on at Wellington they had not been informed that the ship was to carry soldiers to Fiji. The firemen were informed that they would have to aJbide by the articlesMajor Puttick explained that his orders were to see that Hindoos did not destroy the life and property of Europeans. Asked whether the firemen were prepared to hamper the sailing of the sh'p when Europeans in Fiji were endangered, the firemen retired declaring they would not work. Volunteers were called from among the soldiers to work in the stokehold, and there appeared to be no difficulty in fretting a team. The steamer remained at the wharf, however, and it transpired that the seamen were faced with the difficulty of serving with non-Union firemen, "and apparently they had to receive permission from the Union. This permission was l obtained.

When the firemen left the ship all were arrested and taken to the wharf police station, where, after receiving an assurance that the force was proceeding fr> Fiji for the sole purposes of protecting Europeans, they agreed to return to the ship. The Tutanekai is expected to sail at midnight.