STRIKE OF STEWARDS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2681, 29 January 1916, Page 6

STRIKE OF STEWARDS

ON THE HIGH SEAS INCIDENT ON S.S. TAINUI By Telegraph.—Prosa" Association. : Auckland, January 28. : 'A. sequel to. a. stewaras' - strike, on the ~ Magistrate's.-Court,,' Frazer,' S.JUi, of aim© -young men; • stewards of tile.steamer-Tamui. (Tliey-wore charged' with'combining:, oil - January ■ 10, : whilo ■ oiv;.tho..high seas from:lX)ridon JwVAuck]andj-' to 1 disobey- lawful commands,' or ! .to th&ir-duty; and also with . wilful ■3iMbeflreric'e~of; lawful ■ coitimahcD . ■ ; .was'' stated.'"for' -.tol^laiiiajifcithat;. refu'sfid" to -- go- oii- duty -« i' tor 8 .-;a;. m., complain-' iiig that ths- food -offered at- breakfast was not -good enough. •• Despite > tho repeated ..requests- of tlie-cai'tain -tliey. remained on strike, till.tho next, day. JWilliaim-Kershaw, chief-ofDeer of the 1 .- Tainui, said that ;a samplo ;.Tyas taken '' of.tb~e v'b'rea.k.fa^st,^-;w'hicli-.--consisted-'.-.that, day^ofjr^n'idge,.'itew^.> : ;'steak,'j-'and mashed,-; potatoes;VSTheii cagtaiii)' ; inspecting"' "the? food/ !''3feclared<: ifSKwas all must return; .to ro-'. • fused,'; declariug ' that

• -.- burnt.'.Defendantsleei-vedt'theApaSseri-■V'-g6rs.with ."breakfast ybefore.'.they', 'struck. Tliey ' then asked for their Board of ' Trado food - allowance, arid orders- were - . given that the request', .'should' be. . granted. ■ . William John Carpenter, purser of • tho Taiuui, said tho sample of meat " was slightly burnt, but eatable, • a 6 . witness .tasted;it,.and the. potatoes and \ '.'.'pojradgo wei'6;alL the meat ■ oeen ;seryed ,to-him>;he!-would-probably sor/ - unteers 'stewards, -and"; tlie^'passengers decided • ' to take up tlie': duty until the stewards f. returned.' There were one ot two coin-

plaints from passengers about the food

, • during tho voyage, the cooking being ■at fault-. In itself the food was good. After.; leaving' Gape Town witness had • the food cooked ill . another galley under' the jefiief cook. : A petition containing tlio signatures of a few third-class pas- .. /.-licngers: was protesting that" 'they had dry. hash for breakfast; while the; stewards had loin chops.. It was ;.V'y=.impossible to obtain good cooks because ;. '; of tW. .war. Two cooks deserted at • Gape Town. .The cook for the third-. . ■ class passengers was 64 years of age. . Defendants; resumed 'duty on January 11. ••• .... William Brame, chief' steward, stated • that the only complaints from passengers camo from reservists. On JanpaTy 10,tho passengers did'not complain until - the stewards struck'; and went to them for sympathy. - Air. M'Gregor'said the complaints as to food were rife throughout the . .voyage, When' tho defendants a6ked : for better ; food, it was agreed that : : tliey. should have what was left by ■ second-class passengeVs'instead of what ' '. the third-class passengers-left, but'after three, days the concession was'stopped; because'. 1 the third-class, passengers : ob•jected to stewards being better ;. fed; than they were,. Had the least tact been used there would have been no . trouble. '. . ' A lady: passenger who gave evidence said therpTiad been several complaints throughout the voyage by. passengers ■. .. regarding the food. . _ ' ' ' •» ; The. Magistrate -said it was apparent . that not much tact had been employed, otherwise the matter - cpuld have been .settled/ It was evident that the men • - had ample grounds for complaint. .•, There was: no doubt that the. food had been had, and on the morning in question it. was, • worse than :usual; 'at .the same time the men;shoiild hot have struck.' The company was. probably -not. alto- . ...getter to blame, in view; of the difficulty experienced in obtaining cooks.; ■*'If tho defendants toad not been on : board a ship he -would have been inclined to. let them go with a warning, : but.a breach of discipline on board ship ■ ft-as more serious than one on land. 'Defendants were ordered ;to pay costs.