Emergency Powers (Proclamation)

Part of Orders of the Day — Strike, London Docks – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 13 July 1949.

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Photo of Mr Robert Mellish Mr Robert Mellish , Bermondsey Rotherhithe 12:00, 13 July 1949

That may be so, but the point they had in mind, and I accept the argument, was that they wanted to be sure that there would be no victimisation in Canada. It is in the log. I beg hon. Members to believe me; if they do not believe me, they can see it for themselves. It says: I am authorised to state that the owners undertake to prefer no charge against any of the undermentioned in respect of matters arising out of the strike whilst the vessel was in London. Here is the assurance given. After we had seen this document, I was shocked at what had happened afterwards, because this is an agreement not to prefer a charge against any one. The captain, quite frankly, was just an ordinary type of person, and in a private off-the-side comment, he said, "I do not care what union they are in, so long as they come back to work and let us go back to Canada. I am fed up." I quite sincerely appreciate his point of view. When I had seen him, I asked if we could see the crew.