FIREMEN AGAIN

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1646, 13 January 1913, Page 5

FIREMEN AGAIN

TROUBLE IN THREE SHIPS. MEN GIVE NOTICE. ■ FURTHER DELAYS. POSSIBLE. Firemen on various vessels trading ) round tho' New Zealand coast have beon causing a lot of inoonvenionoe and trouble to the travelling publio well as to employers of late. Quite recently the secretary of the bran oh of the Seamen's ■ Union stdted that "ha would not bo surprised if , the men did not give still further manifestation' of. their irritation in the near future." Evidently ■ Mr. Young's words are coming true for, at 'the present time, there are two steamers in Wellington Harbour in which thore is serious trouble with the men of ,tlio etoko- ■ 'hold. • ■ THE MAPOURIKA. FIREMEN GIVE NOTICE TO LEAVE. The trimmers, firemen, and greasers on ; board the Union Company's steamer Ma- ' • pourika have (riven notice to' leave the vessel.at Wellington; Acoording to the agreement between the Shipowners'federation and the Federated , I ■ Seamen's .pnion' of Australasia,' 24 hours'' ■ ■. notioo on ,either' side shall! bo the ,law. of/discharge at the ship's final ' port of ' discharge in the Dominion. . . Itis understood that'ithe mW in the stokehold of the Mapourika gave the Union: Company- notice that thoy wero going'to leave the vessel at ' last; trip.: The necessary notice .was not given until Tuesday morning and the vessel sailed for Nelson and the West Coast the same afternoon. In • that case the , men were compelled to go to sea and take the vessol to , the back to Wellington because the necessary 24 hours' notice had not ' been oomplied with; This ■ "time, it appears,', the - mengave notice 1 at Nelson on Saturday morning of their Intention to leave the vessel. / The MapouriEa arrived at Wellington on Saturday afternoon. The twenty-four . , hones halving expired yesterday afternoon, • thefiremen, trimmers, and greasers were entitled to be signed off the articles this 1 . morning. ' Mapourika £aa to bd shifted from Jervois Quay to tho Eailway , Wharf ; this morning, to discharge her • cargo of c0a1.,, In addition to 1 this,' steam has to bo kept for the purpose of sup.plying, the. winches, whioh work, cargo. Realising the position, the Union Company's officials have engaged some of tho ®en on day . labour. If they still insist on being signed off, a new orew below deck i will have to b6 procured ,before the Mapourika will be able to leave for Nelson , and West Coast ports to-morrow" after- • noon, - . 1/ . A few weeks bwik the Mapourika ix-" periencod 'trouble with firemen, and was "hungnpi" at Wellington for Bomo time; > When 6he did get away taore trouble was caused at Nelson. It is a case of the old trouble occurring again. On. previous occasions tho men reckoned that the Ma/pourika was a , hardship to work down belotv,.and they .wantod extra men to help withtho work. The same quostlon htu) 'cropped) up ; again.. At present the Mapourika carries two trimmers, three firemen, and V three greasers',, r'&rilttltfdWfSdF SigHt l " men. The demand is that six ..firemen and three. greasers bo carried. This - mbans/thatrthe; men require. twx> firemen • ■ ■ on watoh at a time. If the demand is > acceded to by, the Union Company it will. mean that, a fireman will take a turn at trimming and. firing , alternately 1 during a watch, of four hours. r TROUBLE ON THE REGULUS. j : BOTH SIDES STILL DETERMINED.. : 1 There is no ohange to report in the »' trouble between tho ownora of tho steamer I Regulus and her firemen. ■■ The company's representatives in Wellington state that ■ - tho firemen's request for two-extra men: in tlie sokehold; will not be acceded to.} On the other hand,; the firemen will not take the' vessel out of port, and there the . . matter stands for th« present. The;Eegulus'\has completed her overhaul, and was ready to sail for Westport at noon on Saturday, provided, the firemen 1 allowed her to' do so. She ;is tied up to tho Clyde Quay Wharf, however, andi ■ . there she is likely to remain indefinitely, ' FIGHTING FIREMEN. , / ONE TAKEN TO THE • HOSPITAL. Two firemen; on board the Union Com- ,. fany's .Mokoia' tfere the cause of delaying the vepsl for over an hour last Friday. ■ The vessel; left Diinedin for' usuaj East Coast ports about 5 p.m., and en tho Tun down Otago Harbour to Port Chalmora 1 , things were 'fairly lively. for a time. It > is stated, that jthe two men in 'question after ooming aboard oommenced. an ar- * pumont Heated ; words followed, '■the' .. outcome of .which were blows; Other tnem- . bers,of the vessel's - craw stood'round .and watched the melee.-Soon it wis discovered that .one man Was in serious trouble, and ; when the Mokdla was off Port' Chalmers the anphor was dropped and the police" and doctors were signalled for. A launoh Was put off from tho two medical men and a policeman.' -7 When they landed on j deck/tho man who ap- . V ... peared to be seriously-hurt was examined,' »nd his condition rendered his removal tg the hospital a necessity.; Tho other fireman who had been' engaged In tho - .. fight, was. both.-men were convoyed ashore' infthi launch, V i ' The Mokoia hauled bp anchor and continued on her jounley- shortly after Y p.m.