AN INFLUX OF STEWARDS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 333, 21 October 1908, Page 10

AN INFLUX OF STEWARDS.

Sir,—The policy of immigration, has found; much favour in the eyes of the present Government, and inducements arc hqld forth to,' attract people from the Old Country to the' Dominion; mainly .to settle in tilie. country ! .*n.d .produce,. yeajth,- for thecomiHujnity!..! It' : rraust not bo forgotten', however, thaj-'theso! . immigrants must -bo possessed of a. sta't'eS sum,' so "that they will hot become .ahiwdeh on the. State immediately after lauding.' The Sham,' Savill, and Albion Company, on whose boats a number of immigrants have recently arrive(3, have also! produced another and (uodor pije--Bent_ conditions) ■ very undesirable class pf immigrants. Forty-one stewards, wore iateyly ji.paid off' from' the Atheiiic, and quite a -number from tho preceding liner, tho lon-'io. These men only, received, just, a pound'or twfo, ■ and. cannot in', any way "be- - said 1 to be p6s-" sosse'd of the amount required under 'pie'Immigration Act. ■■■■;/.■ .'■■•y ' Now, sir, it is a well-known fact that tlvore is no immediate) want for 'this' class of ifieii in the'practically only shipping company in New Zealand; the U.S.S. Company. Qui,to a largo number of looal men. are at phisent out of employment; men' who" havo been on tho coast for years, and who now suddenly find themselves-confronted by new competitors in the race for employment, which is hard, .-.enough to. get, under ordinary;itondi-titins.-r.-Besido the!mtunber;pf seagoing ,stew-•"ards.-.putyiofowoEfcfhasv.beoni'Dia'de thif-'etsouse fbr.^niorcilessly.working'- or speeding' upiith'ose already in omploymont: on the -.boats,.-■■•tho chief stewards knowing- full well that* men will not throw up their .jobs under existing conditions. Tho averago stejvard does not get av.vory high wage, even in democratic New Zealand under arbitration law. Aljo, hegenerally lives,in a dark dismal placo called the Glory Hole, which would be a revefetion to a good many landsmen. He works Jong hours, and altogether has not a very enviable time, ,1s it. any wonder that.often;-lio "do-' volops ..into-- a polf-seelring nuisanco to tho passonger; or is willing to'put up with idlo whims and fancies from people on'board in the-hopes of a gratuity. "Whilo on the subject, I would like to say that as tho householders of Wellington find it very hard to obtain servants, it would be a good idea to try some of the recent steward immigrants. Such a proceeding WQuW.relieve tho market somewhat.—l am, etc., '. ' , ' ' STEWARD. October 19.