THE PAY AND HOURS

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1224, 5 September 1911, Page 4

THE PAY AND HOURS

OF OFFICERS. -j * BROUGHT TO COURT. BY MERCHANT SERVICE GUILD. Mr. Justice Sim presided at the Arbitration Court, which opened in Wellington yesterday. Sitting with him were Mr. J. A. M'Cullough, workers' representative, and Mr. W. Scott, employers' representative. Tho Court was primarily concerned with fixing tho order of cases. Afterwards evidence was laken in the Merchant Service Guild case. Tho principals in this dispute are the owners of vessels of 1000 tons register and under, engaged in tho coastal trade, and the officers of these vessels, who are members of the Merchant Service Guild of Australasia. Captain D. J. Watson, secretary of tho guild, appeared for the officers, and Mr. W. J. Pryor, secretary of the Employers' Federation, appeared for tho shipowners. • The demands of' the officers ore for salary at .£lB a month for chief officers, .814 for second officers, and JCI2 for third officers'; U days' annual leave of absence on full pay; at home port every officer shall bo entitled' to Iμ absent from the expiration of ono hour after the ship has been safely moored or berthed until two hours before departure; overtime at the rate of 2s. 6d. per hour; engagement to be terminable only by one months notice; and preference to members of the guild. Captain Watson, in opening the case, referred to the arduous and precarious nature of officers' employment. They were, in fact, compelled to live a life hardly worth living, and, by a slight error of judgment, might lose their means of liveihood. Captain Watson was proceeding to speak as to tho position of flic matter of a vessel, when Mr. Pryor objected to the case of tho masters being referred to. It had not even been before the Conciliation Council. Captain Watson suggested that tho Court should take tho evidence, and r,es?rve decision on tho question of the masters. Jlr. Pryor remarked that ho was not prepared to go on with the caso of the masters as tho matter had not been even discussed among themselves. The Court decided that the case of the officers only should be proceeded with for, the present, and Captain Watson, after a reference to the present conditions and the demands, called evidence. Master of S.S. Manaroa. Richard Hart, master of the Mauaroa (engaged in the mail trade to Motuoka and Pelorus Sound) stated that ho was not aware of tho amount of subsidy which his owners received from the Government. Tho hours worked by his mate on the run to tho Sounds included half tho time between 4 a.m. ou Thursday until midday on Satnrdp.v, but he had only about an hour's spell at a time. The mate, received Jbtr> per month, which witness thought was inadequate. The watches on Wie Manaroa wers split up between witness and the mate. On tho run lo Motueka, the mate, who would have put in eight hours' :vork before leaving Wellington, might work twenty hours in the whole twonty-four. Witness knew of one case where a mate had beo:i continuously on duty for forty hours, previous to which he luid only had a spell of five, hours after a stretch of nineteen hours. In tho opinion of witness, the carrying of a seco;id mate would ease the work. A man, after being on duty ■for twenty hours continuously, was not physically fit to keep a watch. To Mr. Pryor: The trip to Pelorus Sound was only made once a fortnight. Ou the last trip, the Manaroa had left Haveloek at twenty minutes past three o'clock on Friday afternoon, and had finished "the bays" (22 of them) in sixteen hours. About half a,n hour's spell lum elapsed between ".the,bn > v,s,", and witness would say that 'tlieMiinto-Oiad altogether about eight hours' spell in that time. Betweoa Titirangi and Wellington, on the run home, the mato had usually got Ihreo or four hours oIF. Taking tho. whole trip from Wellington to the Sounds and ..back again, tho mate wouli work about twenty horfrs out of tho 12 hours occupied. The male had a spell in Wellington if they were not working, but they gouerally worked right up till the time of dopartnre. On tho Motuekn trip the male was on deck about 23 hours out of a total of 33 hours. This happened twice in one week, and once in, tho week that the Sounds trip was made. Once a fortnight the steamer had Saturday in Wellington, and she was generally here every Sunday. On an average tho Vnate woiild work 103 hours in tho fortnight. Seven public holidays were observed in Hie year, and the mate receive* ten days' annual leave. Witness lilted this trade, and preferred it to any other. That was probably because he had been in it so long. Knowing the trade, he did not think that it was practicable to employ another mate. He did not think that the company could nlTord to do so. Mr. Pryor: Do you think that tho Guild's hours of overtime could bo applied to the trade? Witness did not reply. ~.'. Mr. Pryor: Perhaps it is not fair to ask you. ■ ~,.,■ i, lie-examined by Captain Watson, witness stated that ho thought that eight hours a day was a "fair thing for a '"pre'sFcd on the question of overtime, witness replied that he thought that a mato should bo paid overtime, but tl better remedy would be to carry a second mate. The Mate of the Manaroa. .Times Irvine, male of the Manaroa,. stated that ho had once been "inster 'of the Jano Douglas. Members of the crew had been paid overtime as much as; 113 hours a month at ls. 3d. per hour. Witness thought tunt eight hours a day wa.s a fair day's work, and that 2s. Cd. an hour was a lair demand for officers overtime pay. There were occasions in tne busv season when the seamen s wages closely approximated tho wages of witness Ho was of opinion that that was not right. In n statement which he had prepared regarding work on the Sounds trip it was shown that he had worked 392 'hours in the 29 days. At that rate he earned 9d. per hour. In Ins opinion, ,£ls per month was not an adequate •alarv for a mate. " Mr" Pryor: He admitted, that on tho busy days jll Wellington the company gave him the assistance of a tally clerk. Ho knew of no seafaring business where an fight hours' day prevailed. If the Manaroa ceased running to Motueka and the Sounds, witness would have to look for another job. Tho demands made in this dispute practically amounted to a request that the companies should p-iy officers 2s. Gd. per horn- for working cargo in tho ports. . At this stage tho Court adjourned until 10 o'clock this morning. TINPLATE WORKERS. DOMINION AWARD ASKED TOR. A Dominion award is being asked for by the tinplalo workers of New Zealand, aiid the dispute between the parties was mentioned yesterday. Mr. W. <-. Noot appeared for the Wellinglon 'linphU) Workers' Union, and Jlr. W. A. \\. Grenfell for the employers. Mr. Grcnfell explained th-il the matter had brcn before the Conciliation Loiincil, but no agreement had been arrived at. Mr. Nflot stated that the union hud asked that certain employers should bo cited to appear before the. Court, hut the Commissioner had apparently failed to cite -(linn. Mr. Noot, however, askoil that evidence be- taken as a step towards tho making of a Dominion award. Mr. Grenfell said thnt he would havo to object to this course, being taken. Mr. Noot asked if the •-onrt would grant an adjournment until tho following morning, so that ho could confer with the uiuoii. His Ilonoiir remarked that the lioaring of the dispute could not possibly bo taken at this sitting, as the employers were not cited. The Wellington hearing would be adjourned until Inter in the vear and, in tho meantime, the employers could be cited. Evidence would be- taken at the other centres at (lie coming sittings. SLAUGHTERMEN. On Ihe application of Mr. M. J. Reardon, secretary of tiic Slaughtermen's Union, the agreement, arrived at between tho employers of this city and the union, was made the award*

ORDER OF CASES. Wlicn the Arbitration Court resumes 1 , 1 o'clock this, morning;, the inuttoi , Ilio Wellington Furniture Trades' niun's dispute will bo mentioned, aud fixture made. The first'case for hearg to-day is that of the Public Trnsieo Pcrano, and that will bo followed liy e case of. Sherwood v. the. New Zcand Shipping Co. AVhen (ho latter ha* ■on disposed of, further evidence will ! hoard in tli'j Merchant Service Guild sputo. For eilncsdny, Iho firj-t cas? is Iho inlerniakers' dlsnute, and this is 10 > followed by the. Blacksmiths' and arriers' difjiutp, and the Electrical i'orkeiV disimte.