SHORTAGE OF SEAMEN

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2596, 19 October 1915, Page 4

SHORTAGE OF SEAMEN

POSITION BECOMING ACUTE Recently sevoral vessels have be'on held up at Wellington on account of a decidod shortage of seamen, and present indications point to the trouble becoming more acute in the near future. This state of things will, it is said, have a serious effect on shipping. The wliolo trouble has been caused through the number of seamen who have enlisted, together with the fact that- there has been plenty of work availablo on the wharves. It is estimated that since tho war began about 1000' members of tho Seamen's Union liavo either enlisted, or, being members of the Royal Naval Reserve, have'been called up' for active service. If the present state of affairs continues, it is said that by Christmas time several vessels trading round tho New Zealand coast will not be able to obtain crews at all. There is likely to he a shortage of suitable officers in tho merchant service also. Several of _ tho Union _ Company's steamers which have been.in the habit of carrying threo and even four officers have, during tho past few months, been cut down to two. The call for moro men for the front Jtas evidently gone home to the seafaring men, and ud till the present a largo number of single officers in tho Union Company's employ have either enlisted cr havs joined tho Royal Naval Reserve. When the war commenced tho company issued a circular to the effect that they would grant leave of absenco to officers answering their country's call, but lately, it is understood, this policy has been modified. The result has been that maiiy single officers who are eligible for active service, seeing how serious the shortage of men to fill up our quotas for tho Reinforcements has become, liavo resigned their positions with tho Union Company to go into camp. And there will uo sevoral more following in thoir footsteps shortly.