Labour circles are deeply interested in the developments taking place at the head of the Seamen's Federation, the body which success fully held' up the coastal shipping for some months last year. Quite unexpectedly orders were issued to members at the different ports to hold stop-work meetings, to discuss certain matters. There was at once public apprehension that another upheaval was in sight. However, the men cheerfully stopped work, only to find that the matters at issue were of entirely, internal concern, In Sydney, where the day for the stop-work meeting fell on a public holiday, the meeting was actually postponed to the next day, so that the meu could discuss their internal tronbles in the employers' time. There was some talk about there being a deficiency of £1,000, but union officials asserted that there wag ing wrong, auditing only being required. Then clearly inspired paragraphs got into the new-papers to the effect that Mr. H. Walsh, the general secretary, who went to gaol for the cause during last year's strike, was beginning to lose his influence, and that it was expected that there would be some
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