FIREMEN AND THE PUBLIC.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1639, 4 January 1913, Page 4

FIREMEN AND THE PUBLIC.

The forry steamer Maori did not sail for Lyttelton last evening, tho stated reason being that tho tender feelings of the 'firemen had been lacerated by a press telegram published' in certain papers, it scorns that a press messago was sont : stating that tho Maori had not mado hor advertised New Year trip to Picton on account of tho firemen demanding 30s. each for.,the day, whorciß tho actual fact was that tko woather conditions _ made, it inadvisable for tho excursion to take place. Tho firemen were greatly offended over this message, or professed to bo, and not only demanded an apology from tho Preßs Association, which liad been responsible for tho sending of tho message, but despito tho fact that that apology was mado, refused to take tho vessol south last night. .They were ploadcd with; tho circumstances which gave riso to tho error wcro explained bo them, but they were adamant. Tho offended fireman on his dignity ib quito unapproachable. Why tho'f should profess to l)o so hurt at the suggestion that they had demanded what their fellows aro demanding oleowhero is not very oloar. A press messago

» published on Wednesday last read a* • lollqws:— '•■ ' ; ! ' December 81. ! nJS W W .caused this foreI &fe *° «««n atticlcs to pro- ' E» 9WJW> -.ftr % Now Year's Day »* moun £ they declined to ! t'FJft* dipping articles an<l walked out ? A*lS? fW*M 'flffiqo.' demanding' 80s. , After a too flip men sighed" on,- and' it ; m 'I?a.T?ad- that tho ; Union Staani Ship feW, 1 !? . jJ|>d Pjjrecji to" pay, 80s. for tho *^.Maori firwon would no doubt' Martily endoreo tlio action of tho j Moura' firemen, and congratulate , #P1 <>Jl their successful exploitation «ji tho necessities 'of' the shipping company. As,a matter of fact, it has/been very plain for some time past tliat a Bection of the firemen nave been "looking for- troublo.'" They have, again and again behaved in a moat unreasonable fashion, not 1 merely qauaing heavy'lofls ,to their employers,' but iwriously interfering with the ;i convenience of ; tho travelling public' and embarrassing business interests. The shipping companies, for the most parfy nave shown weakness and timidity in handling the,: position, and by their weakness have encouraged.the. men in their insolent disregard; of their obligations. The engineers of sorno. 01 the' steamers which trade hero ar^'.'constantly-',wor-ried by the tactics bf the men, and are often forced to'puti up with'insults and 'offensive i Behaviour. from : their firemen in order to keep their vessels' running.' at all. \ Proper discipline in bucE circunistances is out of the question, and the'shipowners are largely to"blame.""Their main concern, naturally, 1 is to keep their boata running to; time-table, and in order to''dp''th.is" they have' tolerated things, and" apparently . expect the ships' officers ,to,;pu't.up with be-haviour^"-which should neverbo permitted. We mentioned recently, in discussing'this'question, !that there was' laxity."in'.'iho granting 'of discharges. Who is:'responsible for this f- Why should anyone who has misconducted himself receive a" clean; discharge, and be able to pB,BB him-: self on to another, vessel with a good character? ;Yct it is,w«ll knowrithat this is constantly happening. "It is quite', time' .thivt • the position was .squarely'faced:and tho men.made to realise /that" neither 'tho"." public nor tho shipowners are to bo longer made the sport of their whiins and fancies. Tho latest case I 'of tho'steamer.Maori, illustrates very.,well 'the utter •' unreasonableness: of 'tho :men's .behaviour. Here, simply because';:'an errqnco'uß and trivial message is published in a•' howspaper—a message concerning which neither the shipping company nor the public are in any way, responsible—the. firemen of the vessel leavo the ship in dudgeon, to the inconvenience'of some 500 passengers, and to' the company's loss and the disorganisation of the shipping time-table. >Tho;.'thing""is so. childishly preposterous that it iB impossible to behove that :tho'paragraph complained .of i 3 'boing used . ; aq anytiling more...than a'subtorfugq' to cover tho real reason for tho men's action, ..It would ba equally roa- > sonablo for the shipping companv to rcfusq to run, the ; "vcbbol-.' becAuue" an erroneous paragraph; appeared in: a newspaper statjng that tW company had refused to pay tho firemen what they donianded: The truth is :that the men have been 'so humoured 'and given in to that .tho;), imagine they practically as, ; they please, re, < gordlcssof the publio or anyone else. ] I hey hayo been, going', from 'bad to : worse, and whatever public sympathy : may.haw.been felt for thorn must :i alienated; by their quito intoler- , ! able behaviour 1 /-. :' ; ; ' : :,-