THE TRADE OF DESERTION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1610, 29 November 1912, Page 5

THE TRADE OF DESERTION.

: PRACTISED IN THE PORTS, Shipping l companies havo been experiencing much - trouble with desertera recently. '' Between the - months o{ July and November.no fewer than 100 men deserted va'rious steamers at the port of Wellington'. It hag been found a difficult matter to/replace these men in most cases, and on; occasions exceedingly high rates of wages have; had to be paid. - ( ■ It has-been found that desertions from outgoing -Home 6teamcrs are more frequent about this- time of the year than at v any . other period. The reason is that work is: fairly plentiful about the wharves at. the;.presont time, and men can earn a very fairwago—a much bitser one than they can earn'at sea. With this notion in .vfeiv, men desert Just about sailing time, and: keep clear of the wharves,- shipping, hi)d'.the : p6lice for.a- few.days.'- When they; think-that, everything is "clear," they get work, and, if they are so inclined, present themselves at the Government, Shipping' Offioe and (sometimes going urirler • assumed names) , they sign on coastal vessels at the New Zealand rate of wages.'* • • ' Qujte-recently three ' overseas vessels belonging to'three different . companies left Wellington with wool for the January pales.The first- to get away was the Tyser liner-/Whakarua,"and much trouble and expense was caused by, deserters. On the day before she' sailed a, certain num-. ber of firemen were-sighed, on to take the place of deserters. They were paid £12, cSlo, and .£lO a month for the run' Home, and, in ono casd, a passage back was guaranteed. On the morning on which the Whakarua left Wellington these new. men disappeared,--, and, as no other men were available, it seemed as if the steamer would be stuck up; During the day, however, more men were found, who were willing to make the trip, but, at theicown figure, namely, jE-tO each for the run to London. To enable the-vessel to get away in time tp catch the sales, the owners; .had to pay the amount asked for, and;!four>.men were sighedon .at that figure.- .-• ;■ '■ In the Tongarifo's case' the company were' muchi inoonvenienoed by deserters leaving the vassal when: ehe was on the point of sailing. In this case, however, trimmers were promoted to firemen, and Bomo stewards were, given extra wages to go . trimming. , Regarding the' Shaw-SavUl. Company's Kia Ora, the men who deserted from her wore captured ,and placed, on board the .vessel., Until she: left the, wharf at 6.20 a.m.' on-,Tuesday, two • polftemen. were, al-s-ays on duty by tho vessel. V