STEAMERS DELAYED.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18889, 3 January 1927, Page 8

STEAMERS DELAYED.

TROUBLE WITH CREWS AT AUCKLAND. [THE PRESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, January 2. Three vessels were delayed in Auckland during the week-end owing to trouble with the crews, but eventually two of them wore ablo to sail. Trouble over accommodation for the crew of the coastal steamer Gunbar prevented her from sailing for Gisborue and Napier 'on Saturday. The steamer is the latest addition to the local coasting fleet, having recently been bought in Australia by an East Coast company. She reached Auckland from Port Stephens on October 28th, and since then has been trading between Auckland and East Coast ports. On December latli she was placed on the slip at Freeman's Bay, where she was overhauled, and alterations were made to the crew's quarters. It is understood that everything was done to comply with the regulations for ships of her class to the satisfaction of the Marine Department's surveyors. After coming off the slip last Tuesday the vessel loaded at King's Wharf, and a' crew was engaged. The crew was to have signed on on Friday afternoon, but at the laßt moment the captain was informed by the secretary of the Seamen's Union that the men's messroom would have to be enlarged before thd steamer could obtain a crew. In consequence the Gunbar was moved to Prince's Wharf, where she is to remain until the trouble is settled. The departure of the Huddart-Pajker steamer Ulimaroa for Sydney on Friday was delayed for three and a half hours. The vessel was scheduled to sail at 11 o'clock in the morning, but four firemen were missing. After being located in an hotel in Queen street, they sent word that they would join the steamer at noon. However, it was 1 o 'clock before they were taken to the wharf by the police in a taxi. The four men then refused to go on board because they objected to one of the other members of the stokehold staff, and would not sail with him. The chief engineer and the Union's delegate on board proved conclusively that the man complained of was a financial member of the Union, and had joined the Ulimaroa at Sydney by permission of the secretary "there. However, the men remained obdurate. They were informed by the police that they were liable to arrest for disobeying the master's lawful commands, and eventually, after being assured that the matter would be settled satisfactorily in Sydney, they went on board, and the steamer took her departure. The Union Company's Island steamer Tofua was also delayed by firemen on Friday afternoon, but eventually sailed for Fiji an hour after scheduled time. The'vessel was to sail at noon, but two of the stokehold staff were not on board. One of the men reached the steamer at half-past twelve. As the other could not be found, a substitute was signed on in his place, and the steamer departed.