MORE STOKEHOLD TROUBLES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2610, 4 November 1915, Page 8

MORE STOKEHOLD TROUBLES

MAORI AND MOERAKI DELAYED

More trouble was caused by stokehold crews on three steamers at Wellington yesterday. When the time came for the ferry steamer Maori to get away for Lyttelton it was found that sho was three firemen short. Fully a score of men were .offering to take on the jobs, but as much as £12 was asked for the run to Lyttelton and back. After about half an hour's delay three men were obtained after the Union Company had guaranteed to give them £2 for the run down and 1 back.

The intercolonial liner Moeraki was also detained about five hours at Wellington yesterday on account of a similar trouble. She reouired one fireman, and after considerable difficulty arrangements were made for her to get away for Lyttelton at 9.50 p.m. On account of a difficulty -with the Seamen's Union, the Patcena was not recommissioned at Wellington yesterday. The stokehold crew demanded'nine firemen instead of the old manning scale of six firemen and three trimmers. To this the Union Company would not agree and the Mapourika, -was .sent away on another trip to Picton and Nelson. It is understood, however, that the lastnamed vessel's firemen have given notice to quit the Bteamer at Wellington on lier arrival in port tliis evening. There were rumours on the waterfront last evening that the Marama would not get away from here for Dunedm te-da.y._ It was said that the firemen and trimmers on board thought that they would be paid off at the'southern port without receiving their wages till the time that they arrived in Sydney —the port at which they had signed cii On investigation it was learned that since the Now Zealand Government had taken the Marama as a hospital ship her crew would be signed off at Dunedin and given a free passage back to Sydney, and paid waaes till they reached their destination. This arrangement will be carried out unless the men desire to remain in the ■ vessel and join her when she goes abroad.