"CAN TIE HER UP OR CHAIN HER."

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1647, 14 January 1913, Page 8

"CAN TIE HER UP OR CHAIN HER."

THE MAPOURIKA.

MR; W. T. YOUNG'S OPINION.

THE MEN SIGN OFF,

.Trouble with the firemen, trimmers, and greasers (eight in number) on board the v Union. Company's Mnpourika has assumed : definite shape. 'The men signed off the vessel yesterday morning, thus leaving the ■'. steamer,! without -a, crow below deck. When asked • yesterday if he had any- ; thing to say concerning the trouble, Mr. ,:W.T.\ Young, secretary of the Welling'tonbranch of the-Seamen's Union said: "The :■ firemen, trimmers, and greasers of ; the 'Map.' signed off to-day, in accordance Ywith the legal notice given by the men. 'The objection is that. the. ship has be- ■■ come/too heavy for three firemen to .work, thus necessitating one fireman on watch .to operate four hres; Tho Union has -made a: reasonable request, viz.: <-. that the Union.Company should place a total of. 6ix men in the vessel at MO a month each. This would permit of an 'arrangement whereby two men might be ■on watch at a timo to do tho firing and

1 , - trimming between them.;. At present tho ./,. '■■ J'.vessel "carries '■■ three firemen and two. trimmers in; the ". stokehold, and three .' : greasers in the engine room. My euggesr tion means that an extra man should be

')'■'■' '■ employed at J3lO r per month in wages, .and tho not result of the;thing from a ),' "financial point of view (as far as the |;i; .Union Company is ; concerned) would »';, amount to nearly, jets a month. ' This would mean a considerable concession to f ' the men also, i. This proposition was put '.-.■'. ;.before the Union Company, and,was ab'/V. ■. .'eolutely l refused.- The company state that .■,.'.■;■■" the MtTDOurika has been running. for 14 years with the same number of men be- ;:;';, -low that eho. carries now. They hove. ..';'• -threatened to, lay tho vessel up rather 'than put extra men in.her. I don't know how; they, aro considering the public inconvenience on this point."/. . ;,!. "Against;their contention," Mr. Yonng ;; continued, 'T must point out that many -:,-■■-.; vessels -get. harder on men to work as Jtho/shtp gets older. The boilers:get out -. -fof repair, and it becomes, harder to keep' , ~''/'.'steam.".' .Caseslhave been : known in which .-Uehips, after/running .10 or 12 year's, have .•■"'.-' /;'lad to put on extra.men. Two well-known -/respectable ,hai;d-working firemen, who ; .',' have been on several • vessels 'in -their .-.; '■■..'■■ time, vtold- mo,- that: the '-Map.' was the '■ /: : '■•'.■'■ .hardest 'ship which thoy hacf tackled in their; lives. : She. is far'too heavy for /.:?'/ three, men.": ':■(■<■ {. .'•-.. 'r, Regarding the other point of laying the - '."ship Up,' Mr. Young said! "I don't give ■ n rap of the fingers if she is tied up or .chained up. : They' can take her up to '■<■ the wireless station and keep' her /there, /■•■:" ..■.'Jfor all I Care.'..The matter of laying the '.:; "i /'ship .up..is the company's concern. They ■.;'.-.'.»can stand her ,on: end if they like. As i' 'for • the men themselves, they can make ''■'.';■ - ■'. conditions of work:if they 1ik0.".. ;'■: ' , '.' ,'.: Referring..'to the : commencement of the :'v,/:i trouble some'few, weeks bacji, Mr.- Young ''■'•'.;'.■, ''■, said: "I did my .best on,, that occasion /■<:' /to! meet the convenience of the. passengers !;'':/ in trying to get the Mapourika away to '.' :'eea with/tha ordinary'number of men so ■that I could.;have a chance of .discussing ' •'. the,whole question with the Union Comvi/ ..';.pan'y. The fact of the /Mapourika .not ,/..'■ -''saJhng';to .time on that particular occa- .': ;'".sion .was not the union's*}; fault at all. V ' : Now the Union Company themselves have -V V-'/turned the Mapourika.down. "The men ' .'■ -, :'■..' have legitimate .grievance in .this case, I/- arid ; as' the' official representative of tho •'...- ■■'■ :'•■ Seamen's-.-Union. I intend to/see them ■;'■'?■: -through .with'it." ~,.-: >-' ." '..:': Is .there any .hope of getting'a crew -V. nnderthe old conditions?, Mr. Yonng was "■;■/■ asked. 7,; ■'-;••. ■.■"-';':,-.'.. '"None-whatever," was.his.reply."They .wont get; half a man to go in the Mapou- ■•'."■ '• - ;vika."...'■ ':)'': -.:■ .',-":- . ":' ■. ■

; OPINION OF.U.S.S.CO; MANAGER,: ' ■ v ■ "IDEAL.BHIP : i'OE CREW." ,'. Seen by a representative of The Dohinlovintho above, connection, Mr. W. A. Konnedy, local manager of the Union Company, made the following statement:—' "The. Mapoiirika has been: engaged in her present running'for a period of near-, ly 15 years with the same number, of.firemen, greasers, and trimmers that 6he now. and which represents the full complement of' stokehold hands required by the 'provisions of , the Shipping- "and Seamen Act.' The Mapourika leaves Wellington for Nelson, Westport, and; Grey»; mouth .on Tuesdays,, and. usually, arrives back in Wellington on Saturday evening, .remaining- in port' until the following Tuesday, and sometimes Wednesday. The men consequently have 'plenty of leisure,with every Sunday off in Wellington. The running, of tho vessel.may be looked upon ' nsan ideal ono for' members of ;the crew .who Jiave, their' homes in ■ Wellington. During-the whole of the time, the Mapou- ■ rika has been and until '-.ithe ■.'demand :was made for;., three , extra firemen just before Christmas, no representations- have;been, made, to the company that the stokehold hands 'had :been '• 'working under adverse conditions, and not the slightest preliminary indication was -given oi.the intention of the men to ask- \ further'assistance. The arbitrary holding up of the vessel was the first intimation Teoeivec], ,nnd it has only been by: the ""exertions of tho Union. Company's officials -to secure mother ,hands: to man the vessel - that,the company has been able to keep >faith with the public ;by maintaining thß . ; >,ime-tablo running up to,the.present.' If ' jt is very easy, and possibly politic, for 1 tho secretary of the Seamen's Union to urge that tho work of firemen is arduous, and while the statements /made to this ■.effect may appeal to the average individual, consideration of many other callings show that much other work is of just as unpleasant a character, and is mrely so well paid for ns' that of firemen on the .-. coast' of New Zealand."-

: When asked if ho thought that the jfapourika would get away for Nelson and/ West Coast ports to-day, .-Mr.-.Kennedy held the opinion that, they would bo able to get a. crew together in ,time for the vessel to leave this'afternoon.' ■■ 'V\

In reply to ' a ■.further, question as' to •whether the To ; Anau ' would be commissioned to" toko- iho Mapburika's place, tho manager,of.the .Union Company re-. ! plied that that.'^ase,of ;the question had jiot yet been considered:. -•- • ■