DISGRUNTLED STOKERS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1507, 1 August 1912, Page 4

DISGRUNTLED STOKERS.

CONFRONTED BY FIJI POLICE. (By Telesraph—Press Association.) , ' Auckland, July 31. As announced briefly by cablegram, considerable trouble was eauscd- while the mail steamer Zealandia was at Suva, en route fwiii Vancouver to Auckland, through a strike amang Ilia firemen and trimmers. During tho voyage from Vancouver to Fiji one of the firemen had shown a ddeided .tendency towards insubordination, and at last his conduct became so, bad that it was decided to keep him in confinement for 21 days. This decision was resented by the other liremen and trimmers—about 30 in number— and five minutes before the boat was dun to sail at 1 o'clock on Saturday lust they "came out" en masse, and consequently the vessel was hung up just as everything was ready for her departure. In defence of their conduct the men did not advance the excuse that they objected to the imprisonment of one cf their luimlx'r, but staled that as tiiey were a man short and his place could not l;e tilled by a union member, they would refuse lo sail. 1 Suiting the action to the word, they had prepared to go ashore, but the Fiji police had been coihimmicitcd with in the meantime, and when the strikers were ready to the ship, they found a :>oss:o of three l.uropean jiolice officers and several stalwart Fijian keepers of (he pcaee ready la convey them to durnncc vile if they went ashore. A conference between (ho company's locnl manager and the men Ihen took place, and in two hours the dispute was settled, the arrangement being that the ninnaper was to take charge of the "prisoner." After two hours and a quarter's delay Ihe men resumed work, and (he vessel was able to continue her voyage.