CAN A HOLD BE A BUNKER?.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1112, 27 April 1911, Page 4

CAN A HOLD BE A BUNKER?.

ARBITRATION COURT DECISION. A case of interest to steamship-owners and workers upon steamships has (states the "New Zealand Herald") been decided by the Arbitration Court. The case arose out of the employment of some men ou the Jlnheiio on December 19 shifting coal in No. 3 hold. For some hours thev shovelled coal ffom the 'tweendccks into the lower hold, and then three of them went down to rd-arrange the coal that had been shovelled down. The question was whether any or all of the work was trimming coal within the meaning of the award. The coal was not cargo, but was intended to be used by the vessel. It had been contended that the work was not trimming, because the hold was not a bunker, but the Court held that as it was being used for that purpose it must be considered a bunker, and the only question was whether all tho work done in it on that day was trimming. Tho work of shovelling the coal from the 'tween-decks to the lower hold was not trimming, but that done by the throe men in the lower hold was trimming within the meaning of the award, and the defendant had committed a breach of the award by not paying those men the higher rate provided for trimming. Tho case having been brought to obtain an interpretation no penalty was imposed, but the defendant company was ordered to pay costs.