Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Monday 20 November 1911, page 8


S.S. KOOMBANA'S FIREMAN.

STILL REFUSE TO WORK.

FREMANTLE. Sunday.-The trouble

with the steamer Koombana's firemen is

not yet settled. On Friday the Premier (Mr Scaddan) interested himself in the matter, consequent upon an urgent tele-gram received from Labour senators in Melbourne requesting him to see that every-

thing possible was done to get the men to return to work pending an investigation of their grievances.

At Mr Scaddan's request Messrs Car-

penter and Bolton, M.L.A.'s, endeavoured

to bring about a settlement. They at- tended a mass meeting of the Firemen's and Seamen's Union, Fremantle Trades-hall, and urged the men to ship on the understand-ing that an investigation of their complaints should be made. Reference was made to the prejudical effect their action was likely to have in connection with the Federal Arbitration Court proceedings for an award.

It was decided by the meeting that Mr. Carpenter and Mr. Bolton together with two men, should confer with the acting Manager of the Adelaide Steamship Com-pany and Captain Allen, master of the   Koombana. This conference was held at the company's office. The company offered to thoroughly investigate the grievances, Captain Allen gave his personal guaran- tee that the food supplies to the men would be of good quality and quantity, and that the chief steward, Mr. Johnsen, should treat the firemen with respect. After dis-cussing the question for some time, the deputation returned to the Trades-hall, and reported to the mass meeting. It was quickly made plain by the men that they would not go aboard unless the chief steward was transferred to some other vessel, and a ballot was held, at which only three men voted in favour of accepting the guarantee of the company and Captain Allen and proceeding to work.