THE COMPANY'S STATEMENT

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1690, 5 March 1913, Page 7

THE COMPANY'S STATEMENT

A GREAT SURPRISE. v (Hy Telegraph;—l'rcfii Association.) 1 . Dunedin, March -1. The Union Company slated lo a "Star" representative that the precipitate action of the engineers came a great surprise, being out of all proportion to the points of difference. Sir James. Mills said with reference to the breach of faith question raised by

Mr. Wallace regarding the adoption of the Australian award that the minutes of the conference held in 1911 and correspondence with the institute afforded proof that it could not be sustained. Tho company freely admitted the services and loyalty of tho staff, and were still hopeful that a settlement would he arrived at with or without the aid of the Conciliation Commissioner!

So'far the Maunganui's officers have received no word from the steamer's engineers. As a result of tho stand taken by the marine engineers relative to the adjustment of their demands, it was anticipated that the Mailai would he held up at Dnneilin to-day, with tho further possibility of the Maunganai being held up in the samo way to-morrow. Having been put into commission to tako up tho Tarawera's Auckland-East Coast running, the Maitai had to have five engineers, and it was considered that this would prove the engineers' opportunity, as they had simply to decline to sign the articles in order to keep her tied at the wharf.. It was also thought that the engineers on the Maunganui might give 21 hours' notice at the Bluff of their intention to leave the vessel on arrival at Dunedin, but in the absence of instructions to the contrary from Wellington, four engineers sigued on the Maitai yesterday, and a fifth signed on this morning. It is admitted tliat they gavo the formal 21 hours' notice, in order to be ready for eventualities. The vessel sailed this afternoon for Lyttelton. Her chief engineer came down from Auckland in order to join her at Dunedin, and so far as could be ascertained there was no attempt to hinder the vessel iu any way or to induce the engineers from signing on. During the course of an interview Sir James Mills admitted that a number of notices had been received from various steamers similar to 1 that given by the -engineers on tho Maitai, and stated tliat an agreement had been arrived at during the afternoon whereby the engineers had decided to keep the vessels running as usual pending consideration of the points at issue at a conference to be held at an early date. The dispute would bo heard by the Prime Minister and the Conciliation Coinmissioner, to whom the matter had been referred.

Sir James said the matters in dispute had been discussed previously at friendly conferences. The Australian rates of pay had been conceded, leaving overtime and holiday leave the chief noints in dispute. The proposals mado by the company were practically the same as those accepted b.v the Officers' Guild, and offered a fair basis for settlement. The company had offered to submit the matters in disputo to arbitration, but the engineers demurred. They asked ! their members to vote on the question of giving 24 hours' notice, thus ignoring the Aet under which they were registered. Under thp circumstances nothing was left for the company except to noproach the board, and the hearing of the case was fixed for to-day, but at (lie renuest of the engineers the company was led to.understand the date was altered to March 11.

A 48 HOURS' WEEK. ' THE OVERTIME QUESTION. Dunedin, March 4. It was' freely asserted, here that the main'object of the engineers is to obtain a -18 hours' week and payment for overtime, and vessels were named as being notorious for the amount of overtime required to keep the machinery in order, whilst on other vessels practically no overtime was necessary.; Jiefereuce was made to the overtime rates paid to firemen, deck hands, and waterside workers, and the general feeling amongst the engineers hare is that the engine-room staff should be similarly remunerated owing to their increased responsibilities. Another prominent engineer asked where tho overtime viould end if the men's demands were acceded to. Ho pointpd out that the company would hnve no practical check upon overtime worked on vessels, and for that reason' he thought thero would have' to be some modification of the engineers' demands. He beliived a -satisfactory compromise would : be' arrived at. It is believed that a 48 hours' week will be strongly insisted upon -by the engineers, who claim that tlie Merchant Service Guild is dissatisfied with tho 56 hours' week agreed to by that body at its last conference with the Union Company.

IN OTHER CENTRES. DETERMINED TO SEE' THE MATTER "" THROUGH. Christchurch, March i. The Maori sailed to-night as usual with a large number'of .passengers, including the members of the Empire Trade Commission. included in the passengers were a number who had booekd by the fiemuera, to sail,from Wellington on Thursday. The Maitai, which has bten recommissioned to relieve the Tarawera on the East Coast service, left Port Chalmers for Lyttelton this afternoon. In tho event of no settlement being arrived at, her engineers will go ashore at' Lyttelton. tomorrow. Several engineers who were- approached by pressman were very reticent concerning their trouble, and declined to discuss matters. All, however, expressed a determination to see tho matter through at all costs. One admitted they were taking an extreme step in. giving in their notices, and so holding the steamers up. He asserted they had been forced to that longth by the inaction of the Union Company. Tho engineers wanted the sr.nie conditions as were embodied in the Australian award, and contended that this was definitely promised by tho Union Company. The company now repudiated that promise, and cited the \institute to appear before the Conciliation Council. THE POSITION AT AUCKLAND. "Auckland, March 4. It is reported that the engineers on the four Union' Company vessels in Auckland gave twenty-four hours' notice to cease work this afternoon. The vessels concerned are tho Wanaka, Rakanoa, Whangape, and Rosamond. „ Mr. S. D. Hanna, secretary of the local branch of the institute, is at present on his way ,to Wellington on private business.

GISBORNE. Gisborne, March 4. The Takapnna's engineers have given .weuty-four hours' notice.