LAWS FOR SEAMEN.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 938, 4 October 1910, Page 2

LAWS FOR SEAMEN.

SUGGESTIONS/TO/'THE' vMINISTER 1 -.'; .;; :. w FOR MARINE.':: v; ';;::>?,'; ■. \ A' NEW MANNING , SCALE. '>■'* "! '■ - ; A deputation, representative ■ of the- ,'• ' Executive Council of : the ■ Australasian :;;' '.- Federated Seamen's .Union/.;which.-. hasjust concluded a conference, in .Welling- ;■ :■'■ ton, waited upon' the,Minister:for Marine.; (Hon. j.. A. Millar) yesterday-, morning.''. ;'.-'• ; In introducing the deputation, Mr. J'.'■■]'-''■ F.; Arnold,M.P., said;the. conference had ':■ \ ■' gone; carefully';'through, all.- legislation'- ; . whichj affected their: calling, v-and 1 -' they:'' A\ wished .specially. to -bring■- certain' mat- ■'.'•: ters under, notice m regard to-the Work-':.'; - ers: Compensation ior Accidents,: Concilia- 1: .•••:■'.' tion ' and Arbitration, and ,- '' the Shipping'"" ■ Act. ■:,-.'■;- ;.;.;•. .;•■";.•;•,■■: ..:■'".-.v1.-. ■':■;■.,. - ■ Mr v W. ■.Belcher ■ the' iesolu- ; '' ; .'■,'" tions .of the conference. to the .-Minister, and elaborated various points .■at.i great ; . . length.;. : The, .amendments, :" said" Mr., .-V Jielcher, were necessary in-.tne>interests::■': ; .: of-; tUe travelling-. public,, as; welt.'-as of. J :' the -seamen themselves.' : The: deputation.-:.: asked that legislation be introduced: pro-.' ■".; Tiding, for an increase ;in: the •.■■manning.-.:', '- scale .of tte.'deek' department,. -and ; -that'.: : the engine-rboiii,. and. stokehold; ■ depart- ', ? ■■'■ ment' be,.manned in accordance with .the.". ..": "grate".-area'.of ; .the.furnaces,, instead'- of . ; ■".-: being -based on- the indicated -horse-power.; ; " Mr. : : Belcher pointed' L out' that.iit Vhaj.: ' " been found .from experience .that- in. some:: -.-.: ■'. of the: smaller vessels. the 'maiming, scale': ' "■' for the. dock, department' wa's- : altpgether. : :v,':: inadequate. -There' was probably 'liot 'so . / ■ much complaint'; as.- far as largei:.Tes- •".-,; sels! were* concerned. - ■'■ -' gestgra'dati6ns'!in-the;schedules-.betw-eea ::'■:. the..tonnages, that. the.,number , .of :', ' men to,.be /carried.Sunder:/certami ton- : nages should be ihcreasfed::" They -would-. , v> be ■;prepared -• to!-.put. forward: : a. ; set, : _of;'. "■':'. figures. inoTderr to., show; where; the. ;neces-:'. sity for; the [alterations :lay.r;:ln v someu '.'.-' cases it was;:possiblet6:.reduce;.a.vessel's ;■■;:. indicated .horse-power : by. : :m'anipulatioß :'■::' of i the engines. I'he.conference liad'come : " to the conclusion,:'after, careful"considera- ■: :. ; tion; that ■ the.'grate;.;area >was the...best;■••. '; system to. adopt a≤; regards the manning of the Jstokehold.; .V; ; <\ oH-i-*--':' : -^ :^:: 1 •■■' : ':. . : .It >was :also snggestedv.that ■ the qiiali- ' .■', h'cations of an able, seaman in- a .home;. ..' trado ship, should be increased: froinvtwo': :-. ; years to: three .'years': and alsp '..;. to: define:' an^'ordinary."seaman : jas 'avper- , :': '■■;■■ son ..who; had served., at ■it sea,':and to : -increase, the. qualification : V ;of ,a nreman.frpm three to. sis. .months:, -i.: as'a trimmer, arid/that of, a :gjeaser.:from; ..;■";.;., threo to. sis , .months' 'service as a.'fire-;.: / : ;man.. .The: conference' asked ;that .the.';' yprovision in 'Section: 119.''of thi; Shipping ; \. :Acti:,;.stipulatingV that.:a ; seaman; cannot-,:■'.■'■"■.. claim for accident.after;the espiry,: of.-the;. ;;■ agreement,, should be; .struck:.out:, with:.;;;'::, the. object-:of'.confining , .. : the:'period:of*;.: r : claim'to- the'end- of: three" months,. , or v. : the i date\ of /recovery, from: the.-: date;of;:"■;, -■:,; anyi seaman being invalided' v on : shore'.:;.: ; 'Amendment ■was, also-asked'to-the Ship-.-, s;'. ping. A'ct in/respect to free passages.'-:ttf,: v was.,urged:that this mislead-;: .■' ingv. to, seamen, -wlip.: did riotj understand ■:'•:. .' the technical points of the law, andvwho:-.: :v after i;being ' invalided; ashoro , . frequently.:;V accepted', a .free, passage -home; .hot-,tin-,; ■'•■:. derstanding , that it'_ deprived' themS of t •-'';; any- emolument,'they.:, might, be entitled:.^.-, to.- The .minimum; of-fourteen; ■ness clause in the Shipping;Act;-iras'.also '(:"■;■' : sought to be struck:out, . It.was urged that,,,.;,. provision should: also' be madesp l , that: the'e.-:' provisions ;of,the Act should: apply;:to nien ;: 'put 'on' shore,'':- irrespective of - the *■. f;: place where.ihis; ; happened, j; As;thejActv . : stood, ; it was'only.where 'ainaniwas.'piit'-:-. -. ashore ill :ia-Ne\v' : Zealand that,thii ; ;Act';v'-:-;' appUed.\;;The::Corifererice;,could^ii6t v :6e9 ;;! ;^: ; . why a man: engaged on"a .NeW ,; Zealand,,,•''. vessel, and:putoh.shpre."at;.an;Australian;-V:; port should ;not' : benefit'.the.\same. as he>;, : : would. in New Zealand.: :i;:- ■" -'~ r \ '■'.:■ -'■; The' Minister•■ was asked • to' :incr.ease;the; manning. scale. oi.:.the,.stokehold:.aiid .en-;: ~ : 'gine-rooin'. as of "over ,50.' •.': ■ 'and:-under. 100;indicat^..hofse-pdwer,vtwo '■' : : ; firemen;';oyer,iOO and undergo,indicated :W.:; horse-'pbvrer, tivo.fii-em'eh and.one'greaser;:;....•. 0ver.250; and under : 7so-indicated :hprse-;;; I power," three, firemen and .two- greasers.!.;..: and not:less two;.engiheers in-respect U 7 ;,, of :tesseKipf''s(K) ■'indicated..horse-power or'i- ■■"-:'■.■ under,, runnings less. 'than'.3oo;miles-te;.; ;,;: tween terminal- ports!' '•:': An alteration^of.:y ; f: the Tegiilations governing deckloading of ; i!.;: 3ressels-':Tra34askedj'':so'.-,asf-tb;V. provide:;:. ";. : h for . sufflpientvdeck. space, being : odjacentVto the ; crew's ::'quarters for .the'.:;;,., various.uses of ;the;crews;'that'no''horses,:,';. , :. cattle, ■; etcli :be carried .-in ..proximity.; t0;; , '..; : the '/crew's ''■;,quartersi;:ca.lcnlated:--.tb, j"..: a" nuisance ,to the-'crew,."arid' that the;.;;.;;' removal 'may be ordered'by.a.Government'■■..••; officer. : "'■■'.'.The S crew'e ■ quatters. r are . emallr; ,.:-: enough;'and:miserable.venough, -said; Mr.-V;. : .., Belcher,''iit ; his .remarks ..oh" this: point ;■;:;-;■; ofithe^colliers-rwereiloaded;first;of ;;;:;; ' all with coal, and then', the;decks-were filled: '; - with : timber. : Ai net : ;]:was.jsometimes;;;.;■ stretched along from' the-forecastle-head;..;'?; ,to ,-the.bridge:.to.:"pr6tect j:he■;men'..;..:. Hβ ; r.:;; was satisfied"that: there;was;,no place in;. :(■; the Vorld'whereMt;was allowed;;that;so <;t. : . :;, .muptsh'ould.tepiled on",the;decks;.aswas:.;,.:. done , in .this : .c6.Tmtry. Jt was; a; menace v . : to'everyone: on board; :>".•-■'-•;" /A - 1 .v.-..'. ; :: :^ ; '...The 'coherence' asked that; continuons.:.; : :■; disChai-ge forms should:be abolished.; -.. ; -.• ; :The , Minister::: one for seven ;years:v It w:pnly working;..... ;off, the , old•stock.%' ; :::sv: '■ v; ■';:;■•: ; ■■'■Mγ-. Belcher said.'that: if. he: was- not-: much .mistaken .M-had, seen? one;: :very, recent 'date -on it.Sy .■■-.:. '■:■■■?■■:'.:',:'■-',,? .'•.,.;:;: '-'■■ The Minister: "1 haye-be«n;;told, they:.---., have: been" stopped; .■' A; man couldj clarai;.::-./;-.; a ; 6ingle ? discha^ge."'■:.ft^:::^•■ , : ; i :^■■.:, ;vi;;H^/; Mα-. Belcher-went, on-to .-urge that the -~:;. Minister shbul'd^abolish.the.'.'declmei.tov::.. , discharges,;as:;they-gaTe:gie;mas-: :; ;;.;; ter much unfair advantage • over ; the men.:. . ,= AnSaltefation :in ,the;; Act.was desirablej,.-;.-, , . so that all:-wages earned^sUouldfbe^paid; , :,'. at- the ■; first port': oi ; arrival, where'-.there.' -, was "a 1 branchof the" bank,, after-the,«-i':.-piry of the end ■ of ; the. month. -:' Another. \ r>:": amendment .of; ffies Acti; asked -was' ;in; the:.;;,-.,-. direction of making that.seamen:,;.■-.•-. sliouldEigndrticlesinone capacity, 0n1y.,.,.:, I; A-new clause.-in the; Act■ was, asked,.:to . .:.- provide that wlieh ; a.vessel'is.-at',Bea-the,■ v,. deck'hands,. excluding vthe ■;* bosun,,:,-be-,-...'.; worked watch. ; and watch.::V: ; ;.;;:,W.^.V;:v-:r- :■:;.; In oonclusion, Mr.. Belcher said the con- f ,. : .:. ference''.was.desirous'that. the Marine De-,;.:.;, partment:'should' defray'the-lihnal- ■ re X . : -.:~.. ponses 'destitute- seamen,;,flut:;pf.vrJ 'moneys received :permits,; fines;... and;,.: forfeitures; r\ ; ',-S , / , ',:: :^^': ,v '■';> '1 ' r - L - "j , .-'■■■-"■ •At ''■ this stage ■■ the deputation ■.retired, 1 ,:: .;•-. although^Mr.: T..Toung, .secretary 'of tho Wellington Branch' of ■ the union,:liad:-..-■ ;■;. thirteen or fourteen-matters; to put before;;,;-., the Minister:;Vlt .wasiarranged^that _.the.- ; -, ■;;.; (lepiitation'should.'waitup'on-the:Ministeri -.. ;- atadate to.;be arranged;;when.."the, bal-:.;;.. ance of the resolution's ?pV the conference -;;'. ; ; will be broughtunder'Mtice.:;::^v.:;.K:/;.^; :^