S.S. PATEENA HELD UP

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2521, 23 July 1915, Page 6

S.S. PATEENA HELD UP

FERRY SERVICE DISORGANISED

SEAMEN CAUSE TROUBLE

Once again the travelling public and i lie business community have been much inconvenience by the action of tlie seamen and firemen on a Wcllington-Lyttel-ton ferry steamer. . This timo it is the crew of the Pateena wlio have cajiscd the trouble and consequently there was no steamer from Wellington to Lyttelton last evening. Although the Union Co. endeavoured to got the steanier away, all efforts in this direction failed. What Caused the Trouble, Since the Wahine lias been taken off the ferry run, the Pateena has been commissioned to run the .service in conjunction with tlie Maori. These two steamers have maintained tlio time-table for the past week. On account of the Loongana having to undergo an extensive overhaul, the Union Company decided to replace her in the MelbourneLauncoston trade with the Pateena, and arrangements had been made to dispatch tlie latter vessel from Wellington to-morrow for Sydney and Melbourne. To facilitate matters it had been decided that the crew of the Pateena would change from coastal to intercolonial articles at Wellington yesterday. Accordingly arrangements were made for the men to "sign off" hero yesterday and enter into their new, agreement. At the' Government Shipping Office the first part of this proposal was carried out without a hitch. When the new articles were opened, however, the crew, with the exception of the officers, engineers, and stewards, refused to "sign on" till they had been granted certain concessions. Up till late yesterday afternoon it was'anticipated that the difficulty would be settled and the ferry service would be maintained. Shortly after . 6 p.m., however, it was seen that a settlement could not be arrived at, and tlie company were reluctantly compelled to cancel the vessel's sailing for Lyttelton.

What the Men Wanted. From inquiries made amongst the men, and from officials, of tho Union Company, it appears that the firemen and sailors at first wanted a guarantee that they would be givon permanent employment by the Union' Company in Australia for at least sis months! To tliis, it is understood, the company agreed. Later in the day the men changed their minds and demanded £18 for tho run across, which will occupy about five days. The present rate of wages for coastal and intercolonial firemen and sailors is £10 and £8 per moiitli respectively. Negotiations were entered into, and up till a late hour last evening the Union Company had not decided to grant the men's request as it was thought that the demands were unreasonable. On the other hand, the men contend that when the l'atoena arrives on the other side it may so -happen that Australian officers in the employ of the Union Company might wish to have tlieir own crews oil board tho vessel, with- the result that before tho articles expire they would be discharged. .

How the Public Suffered. It was most unfortunate for the travelling public and business .community that tho hold up occurred last evening. Had it been on Wednesday or even to-morrow there would have' been other steamers to take the Pateena's place. As it was, a suggestion to send tho Arahura to Lyttelton ■ on arrival from Nelson and Picton last evening could not be entertained on account of the' disorganisation which would liavo been caused in the Wclling-ton-Picton-Nelson service. For the past few. days the Mapourika lias, been dotained on the West Coast by bad weather. Had sho arrived in Wellington at the usual time on Wednesday' evening it would liavo been possible to dispatch tho Arahura to Lyttelton and the Mapourika. could then have gone to Picton and Nel6on in her place, and havo beon back in time to .leave Wellington for Picton, Nelson, and ..West Coast ports to-morrow. Over 200 Soldiers Held Up, Although every effort was made to advertise the fact that there would be no south boat lasS evening scores of people wont down to the wharf in anticipation of proceeding south. Among the number were from 200 to 250 troopers on leave. Fully 200 of these men had come down from Tauherinikau Camp in charge <i an officer, and their opinions on the situation were voiced in no manner. Tho delay lias meant that soiue of the soldiers will not reach their homes in the far south till Tuesday or Wednesday of next week —a loss of at least three days to them.

Several disappointed passengers on arrival at the ship's side last evening were apparently ■ much perturbed, especially those who had come . down from the country. Dozens of them deposited their luggage in the Harbour Board's left luggage shed, and made their way up town to seek board and lodging for the night. • . ■ ■

Ferry Arrangements for To*day. .The Moeraki. will leave Wellington this evening for Lyttelton, and she will act as ferry steamer for the south. The Maori is running as usual to-day. On Saturday evening the Monowai, which is due here from Port Chalmers to-mor-row morning in order to relievo the Pateena, will leave for Lyttelton at 11 p.m.

WAIWERA DELAYED. FIREMAN THE CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Auckland, July 22. The defection of one of her l firemen caused a delay of six hours in getting the Shaw-Savill steamer Waiwcra away for London this morning. The steamer left Queen Street' Wharf at 6.45 a.m., but as the man in question had taken an early opportunity of going ashore she was obliged to anchor in the stream. A diligent search was made asliore, but without avail till late in the morning, when Acting Detective Gourley discovered the missing man, a burly Norwegian, in a state of liquor, in Customs Street. A taxi-cab was found necessary for the man's conveyance to the Man-o'-war Steps, but there the captive resisted so sourly that the detective and Constable M'Hugli had a hard job to get him aboard a launch. When the latter reached the side of the steamer the mail renewed his struggles. As there was a fair sea running, and he resolutely declined to mount the accommodation ladder, the police adopted the expedient of trussing him up with & ropo and attaching his bonds to a coupl3 of lines let over the ship's side. By this means lie was hauled aboard, protesting loudly, and was locked up in a cabin until such timo as work should appeal to him onco again. .