SHIPS' OFFICERS' PAY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1278, 6 November 1911, Page 5

SHIPS' OFFICERS' PAY.

4 . OWNERS' OFFER REJECTED. CONFERENCE' SUGGESTED. Another attempt to settlo tho disputo between the Shipowners' federation and tho .Merchant Service Guild relative- to the monthly wages and conditions of .' work on the smaii coastal steamers which are owned bv the firms represented on tho federation was made on Saturday. Action was taken this time by the owners, who. through the acling-s.ccretary, submitted proposals to the guild. OWNERS' PROPOSALS. These proposals wore ns follow :— Hours of Work.—V.'herc two mates arc employed on any steamer, tho owners agree, e.-ccept in cases of .emergency, to arrange that the mates work watch and watch, both at sea and in port, unless tiro safety of tho ship demands otherwise. Where only one mate is employed owners will, except in cases of omerg.-niy, conlino the hours of work to not move than twelve hours in one day, nml when tho vessel arrives at the oliicer's homo port, and is to sail sai.'ie day, lie shall he allowed iour hours'ofF duly to visit his home, provided that tho vessel does not rail before tho expiration of the four hours. Victualling allowance, 4s. per day. Holidays, fourteen days per annum, as ', per award. Manifests and wharfingers' list to be written up at the office. Tho following 'is tho schedule of the monthly rates of wages that tho shipowners are prepared to pay first and second officers respectively, on the undermentioned vessels:—Arapawa, .QIC; Alexander, J!IG and JU3; Blenheim, .£ls; Defender, •CIS and £12; Gertie, .£IG; Ilimilnngi, illG and ,£l3; Ilolmdale, .£ls and .£l2; Huia, ,£ls; Kiripaka, .£ls; Kapuni, XIG; Kapiti, ,EIG; Kennedy, ,£l6 and .£l3; Kuitoa, <£1G and ,S1»; Kairaki, £\G and MS; Mannrou, ,£ls; Mana, ,£ls; Mangapapa, .£ls: Moa. .£ls; Niknu, £W; Opawa, ,£ls; Putiki, £W and .£l3; Oueen of the South, ,£l7; Kuril, ,£IG; Ripple, ,£IG and .£l3; Stormbird, _CIG; Waimea, £K and .£l3; Wnkntu, .£ls; Wootton, £15; Waverley, ,£ls. GXTLD NOT SATISFIED. The rates, as will bo seen, are a slight advance on the minimum wago prescribed in the Arbitration Coiirt Award, under which tho officers refused to work, bat they are from .£1 to .£3 per month less than those demanded by tho guild in amended proposals submitted a lew days ago. The guild members met on Saturday j, afternoon to consider the owners' terms, but after discussing (hem (he mooting was unanimous in flnciding to reject them. At the same time, the secretary was directed to wrile to the federation suggesting that a conference bo held to consider rntrs and conditions, and thai Mr. P. Hally, Conciliation Commisgioner, be invited to preside. IS SETTLEMENT IN SIGHT? Tt is tho opinion of more than one officer' (hat the differences which Lavo brought about the deadlock iwll be settled within tho week. Some of tho boats are already running, and tho officers engaged for them are receiving, if is said, only the Arbitration Award minimum wage. The Arapawa leaves to-day on her stcond trip to AVanganui, tho Putiki makes her first trip to-day. and it is expected that Ihe Stonnbird will leave to-morrow. The Opawn, which has been lying up at Blenheim, left for Wellington yesterday, but had the bad luck to stick in rh» mud on her way: down the river. Smoke is issuing from the funnels of several other vessels at tlio wharves, which should indicate that the owners hope to settle, or, at anv rato, to run the ships. There are still sorno officers who are not in tho guild, and there are some- in the guild who aro getting very tired of no work and no pay. The owners mnv secure the • services of somo of them, a'tdgct a few of tho ships out again. A strange position arose over ono ship; the owners offered tho officers the rales demanded by the guild, but the officers refused to accept the positions unless' mates and masters who had been replaced on other ehips should be reinstated. The oirncrn in their turn, found other officers who accepted not the increased rates but the award rates.