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Watersiders Will Offer fr Work Tomorr
STRIKE NEARING END
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BEEBY AWARD TERMS AGAIN ACCEPTED
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MEN WANT PICK-UP AT UNMION YARD
SEVEN HUNDRED YOLUNTEERS WORK SHIPS
ttlement Negotiations in Melbourne
. Workers' Federation at a special meeting this afternoon, decided
to offer for work forthwith at their pick-up place in the union'
yard.
As it was too late to engage men this afternoon, the ship
owners are expected to do so tomorrow morning.
"Terms of settlement this time have been offered by the
Sshipowners and accepted by the union," said Mr. C. Thorn
(local secretary). "These are that we will work under the
Beeby award and Transport Workers Act."
Nearly 700 volunteer laborers were at work at Port Ade
-laide and Outer Harbor today, handling 1 1 vessds behind the
police lines. Some of the men were Southern Europeans.
A 'ieport from Melbourne states that ijegotiations for a set
tlement of the strike were officially' opened this afternoon
between union leaders and Mr. S. M. Bruce (Prime Minister).
The former are asking for an interpretation from him of the*
Transport Workers Act and the licensing question.
An attempt was made at Brisbanre last night to -cast adrift*
the steamer Canoubar, which was moored to a wharf. A thick,
hawser at. the bow was severed, causing the vessel to swing in
midstream. Difficulty was experienced in getting her back to
the quay. A line at the stern was also cut.
Starting at 1 o'clock the meeting lasted
bne and a half hours. The men were ad
dressed by the Hen. L. L. Hill (Leader
of the Opposition) and Mr. R. Whitfield
(chairman of the local branch of the fede
ration). The hall was crowded to overflow
ing, and many watersiders could not gain
admission.
Cheers that could be heard outside punc
tuated the proceedings. It is understdod
that the shipownere would have picked
up several gangs this afternoon had there
been sufficient time before 3 o'clock, when
the afternoon pick-up closed.
It is reported that men will be engaged
tomorrow morning to start work on some
of the idle ships in port.
General satisfaction was expressed by
iunionists at what was regarded as the
conclusion of the dispute.
Up to 3 o'clock this afternoon 2.575 men
bad taken out licences to do waterside
work at Port Adelaide. The quota today
was 113. Unionists predominated. A
stream of watersiders sought registration
when it became known that they would
resume work tomorrow.
Vessels working today were the Auto
vycus, Borda, Lorenzo, and Quiloa at Outer
HIarbor, and Vardulia, Hanau, Arcturus,
Nardana, Anglo-Columbian, Port Gis
borne, and Minniva at Port Adelaide.
The Blue Funnel steamer Autolycus
which had been idle at Queen's Wharf
since Septemlfer 15, proceeded from
there to Outer Harbor yesterday after
noon to be ready to start loading today.
Men continued to arrive at the Volun
teer Labor Bureau near No. 1 Quay and
were drafted off to vairious vessels as
needed. Four gangs were working suiphur
from the steamer Anglo-Columbian and
it is stated that they handled it at the
rate of 20 tons an hour which is said to
be the usual rate for ordinary waterside
labor.
On the motor ship Minnipa, which
trades between Ports Adelaide and Lin
coln, 60 men started work this morning
landing cargo. This vessel is manned by
a volunteer crew but notwithstanding that
it was discharged and loaded at Port Lin
coln by members of the Waterside
Workers' Federation as they have not been
involved in the maritime dispute. Port
Lincoln workers have not yet been
required to obtain licences under the
Transport Workers Act.
Volunteer laborers at Port Adelaide and
Outer Harbor have decided to form an
organisationto protect their intcersts, and
a meeting to consider the project will prob
ably be held next week.
Some men who had taken out hicences
as waterside \Morkers and desired employ
ment as volunteer laborers yesterday ex
pressed dissatisfaction because they had
1#aited at the employment bureau for some
time and had not been engaged. It is as
serted that several who had come from the
country went back again. Today, however,
practically all the men available were ab
sorbed.
REPORT OF BAD STOWAGE
Volunteer laborers on the Nardana
claim that one gang loading that ship put
aboard 280 bales of wool in three hours,
which was said to be a record. -
Reports have been circulated that stow
a;ge of cargo by voluntcer labor had been
unsatisfactory, and on some ships merchan
dise had to be restowed before they were
permitted to proceed to sea.
No confirmation of these reports could
be obtained, however, Capt. A. H.
P. Gransbury (Deputy Director of Navi
gation at Port Adelaide) said that to his
knowledge there had been no such cases
of bad stowage.
In a few instances cargo has been
damaged by the inexperience of volunteer
laborers, who, however, are rapidly be
coming adept in the working of winches.
Yesterday on a steamer at Outer Harbor
a cask of wine was broken and the wine
damaged flour and wheat stowed in the
hold of the vessel.
A committee of Port Adelaide shipping
managers, representing interstate and
overseas interests, is controlling the dis
position antd supply of volunteers at the
seaport. No attempt has yet been made
to work interstate steamers, and the
various ones idle at 'ort Adelaide are
without crews, the men having been paid
off at the outset of the dispute. Officers
and engineers are standing by the vessels.
All overseas vessels bhrthled at wharfs
were working this morning, with the
exception of the Tolken in the Dock. She
is outside the line of protection of special
constables.
DRIVERS STILL AT WORKI(
Some members of the Federated Carters
and Drivers' Union continued to cart
wool from the stores to the various ships
worked by volunteers. In addition much
wool was shunted to the wharfs in
covered railway vans that had been loaded
at the wool stores.
There was therefore no stoppage of
work at ships through cargo not being
available.
Yesterday, when the steamer Anglo
Columbian started discharging at No. 1
Quay drays were required to cart sulphur
to the Adelaide Chemical Works. This
work is usually done by employes of W.
H. Wood, Limited, but drivers indi
vidually were unwilling to do so for fear
of consequences, although it is under
stood that their union offers no objection
to their carting the sulphur. Motor lor
ries, however, carted sulphur from the
ship without interference.
PAY OF CONSTABLES
Special constables welcomed the im
provement in the weather, as some of
them had experienced trying times when
on outpost duty during the recent storm.
Those off duty slept in cargo sheds. The
organisation of. food supplies has im
proved, 'nd the men greatly appreciated
the facilities offered by the canteen sup
plied by Adelaide women, at which pies,
tie, and other refreshments could be
cheaply purchased.
Special constables said that they were
not receiving payment for 'their services
from the Governmeint. Most of them
were being paid by firms and companies
who employed them. Some of the
specials had been unemployed when they
enlisted, and it was not known if the Gov
ernment would pay them for their ser
vices.
MIany Adelaide professional men, includ
ing doctors and lawyers; have made great
financial sacrifices by joining the special
constabulary. One prominent- barrister
said that the losses in some instances
would amount to' 20 guiineas and more a
day. They willingly gave their services,
however, in. the time of their country's.
neeId.
hNo members of the Federated Storemen
and Packers' Union have left work on
account of the dispute. .A1Lwho had been
engaged when. it was decided to return
to work last week are still at their posts
with the exception of a few members; who
had, been.~ put off through .slackness., This
information was officially given.this after
Iloon.
The ordinary general meeting of the
union .will be held tonight.
At the four steamers loading merchan
iipe at Outer-Harbor there was no hitch
in0 operatiois. The steamer Zealandic
ariveid at Semaphore anchorage from
Loidon last night and will remain there
until there is a vacant berth at the wharf.
.t has been stated that volunteer
workers have in some cases made only a
fair. job of stowage of cargo. It was
estimated that approximately 2,000 ft. of.
spoace was wasted on the Esperance Bay-,
which left yesterday for London.
'Asked if cargo on this and other
steamers had been stowed in a manner
tbat' would be dangerous or would c:iuse
it to shift in a heavy sea, a number of a
shipping .firm said that the stowage of
cargo Was a job which- needed great care
arind experience. I Most of the :men now
working did.not understand this class of
,vdrk too well. All vessels had .to pass an
examination b'tore leaving the wharfs.
This was done to sa.tisy tlhe authorities
tha~t the cargo was secuelv ann&- safely
stowed. , Nevertheless much waste space
ochurred. o.
MIembexs of the Red:Cross Corpsicon
nected with the 2nd Battalion of.-the
Citizens' .Defence. Brigade at. Outer Har
bor. have had a bdisy time this week. MIany
cases of a 'minor nature have been re
ported: One man severed the top of a
finger with a bread slicing machine. Ano
ther- who .was, blown from the top of a
loivre truck had a leg severely bruised.
An-officer, when 3umping from the floor
of; a truck .to the ground, strained the
ligatures of a knee and had to be taken
home. Yesterday several cases of slight
ptomaine .poisoning were treated, and
recently a y6unggmani had the point of a
bay.vonetL stuck into the side of his nose,
inflicting a flesh wodund. Nothing of a
serious nature, however, has been reported.
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