THAT FERMENT ON S.S. MAORI.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1640, 6 January 1913, Page 6

THAT FERMENT ON S.S. MAORI.

HEN SIGN OFFULTIMATUM BY THE FIREMEN. PRINTED. APOLOGY. - The firemen, trimmers, and greasers (27 in number), who refused to take the ferry steamer Maori to sea on Friday evening, were signed off the vessel on Saturday horning, and received their wages. ' ' (It is interesting to noto that although these men were responsible for holding up the Maori, and thus caused serious inconvenience to the travelling public, and others, each one of them received "V.G." discharge. This means' that these men,,having good discharges in their possession, can probably join any ship, requiring .their, services,'.and, can be. considered as good as men who have shown more regard for the'public convenience, or their employers' interests. ' • The scene in the shipping.office where the'.signing-off' took place, was a quiet one: .As-the names were ..called the men stepped forward and signed for their pay, njnll ajso signed of! the vessel. -'Except in the case of three men, there were no complaints worth mentioning. One stated that his wages were threepence short, and he evidently felt. inclined to argue the point, until the secretary of the Seamen's Union fixed him up. Another man's grievance was that the name of his birthplace was wrong on. hisdischarge, and he winted it altered there and then. He was; told, to wait until the others had' signed off.' ' . , Tho word "scab" was used once, and once only. A man who had been engaged on the Maori,on Friday morning, before he knew that trouble had occurred, was • handed a discharge form, and asked if he desired to sign "off tho vessel again; 'He was uncertain what to do under the circumstances, until one'of the men who had been on the Maori camo in and said:,"lf. ■yoii don't " sign; off, "mate, " you'll be a 'scab.' "■'■ ■■■■ • Meanwhile the Maori remains tied up to; the wharf. Up till Saturday evening it'was not- known whether she'would get away'to-n'ght for the south er not. r " t It is probable, however, that, the difficulty will bo overcome. If the men now employed 'on tlie Te'Anau will take positions on the 'Maori they will be given a chance to ship in the latter vessel. Speaking to a reporter on Saturday afternoon,.Mr, W/T. Young, said: "The men of the Maori are not satisfied vet. What they want .is a;published apology signed by. the Press Association agent <at"Wellington.iand'also'sighed by the writer who was originally responsible for giving out certain statements about the men. It that is done they will go back to ( work on the Maori,'but not otherwise."' t It was subsequently ascertained that tho Press Association refused absolutely to accede to tho request, and that is how the matter stood oh Saturday evening. In order to keep to their scheduled arrangements,, the Union Company put on the'Monowai as ferry steamer from, Lyt-, teltoii on Saturday evening.' ■ . , If it so' happens that the Maori is unable to- leave Wellington for Lytteltori this evening, the Mapourika and Te Anau will be .placed in the running, and if these two,'steamers do-not prpvide'sufficient accommodation, the'Monowai will probably ' double ' back to -.Lyttelton 'in-. stead ,: of..proceeding 'north.;;, -' * AT LYTTELTON. ; / DILEMMA. OF TRAIN TRAVELLERS. (By .Telegraph.—Proß3Association.) -' \ . - '. Christchurch, January 4. ' The hold-up of the Maori at Wellington greatly interfered with the-plans of passengers by the ferry service. The Tarawera and-'Te Anau arrived at 12.10 at Lyttelton, and . passengers reached Christchurch at 12.55, missing . the express. ' The' Railway Department was pressed to send s a .-special. express south, and tit .first demanded an equivalent, for 80 second-class return-,fares fco.;Dunedin, but later offered of .£l6O for a special; However, a considerable number of Southerners had made up their minds to [stay in Christohurch, and as no guarantee was forthcoming no-train was sent south. ,Notn few of the through passenger' subsequently , arranged motorcars to take them on. ,