A WAR-TIME PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3032, 20 March 1917, Page 6

A WAR-TIME PROBLEM

MARINE ENGINEERS ■- APPEALS PROM MILITARY SERVICE / The position of New Zealand marine engineers in , relation to the war was again before the Third Wellington Military Service Board yesterday. Appeals for tho following marine engineers were lodged:—

Arthur Selwyn Crosbie, Dunedin; 'John Mills Diigdalo, Wellington; Gordon Maxton ; Rennie, Duncdin; Frederick A. Canuon, Wellington.

. Giving evidence in the case of Cros'!bie, Mr.'lV R. Wallace, secretary of r thei Institute of Marine Engineers, "said 'the position regarding the supply'of tmgineers was, not better. , 'If a- greater~f?hortage "of engineers occurred, 1 the position regarding 'the "transport of foods and other necessaries ' would bo very serious.

■ Captain Baldwin said that the statu- : \. tory'requirements for the TJnion Steam fShip Company was 289. :The iiumber .•actually employed by the Union Coni.fpany was 350, less six sent to camp. fThe board had been furnished by Mr. .. : Wallace with a list of 290 other .marine Vngineors in ' shore-going jobs. ■ Mr. Wallace also furnished a list of 174 (Dart,of the 290), but excluding 77 '.engaged on tho Now Zealand railways. So.there were over 250 in addition to ■what the TJnion Company had. There ■were engineer's in the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, and some outeids '.';'-/that body, and outside the Institute 'of Engineers.: : ]'"': ; What is the Actual Supply? ! • Summarising these sources, eaid CapBaldwin; the supply was :— ,In the Union Company ............ 344 . .Names.and addresses , given'... 174 ,;Iu the railway ......K 77 ' -In'the Amalgamated-Society of Engineers ......'... • »•..••• Afew 'Not members of either body... Afew i - "These are the marine engineers of /the country," ,■ said Captain Baldwin. ■ "Do you.still say there is a shortage?" :-l : Mr. Wallace: Yes. •.-..- : The chairman: What.are.the statu--toTj requiremente? •'.■•■■"■ : :?-'■ Captain Baldwin: 289. And there '-are between 600' and 640 ■ engineers. ; -,Yet they say there is a shortage. -.;-■ Mr. Wallace: I do. . "'" The chairman: These lists of reserve ■Jf.nujn possibly available apply to all o: snipping? ■. " ' ,-■ .1. - 4 I . ■-.Captain Baldwin: Yes: . '■{■' The chairman: How many outside tne TJnion Company Tequire engineers? ••Mr. ■■'Wallace: I suppose the TJnion .-Company hvould draw quite three- '■'■ fourths. . '; ■■■,'■:■,■ > ' ; Mr. Wallace asked,'if Captain Bald- " win's figures included third certificated ■engineers, v■'•■-.',:' .;.'. •: .-.• ■ Captain Baldwin: Yes..' ' , ■ f Mr. Wallace: 1/would like to point cut that a man with, a third, engineer's : ;certificate is no"t!necessarilya marine -engineer. The third certificate is a .tradesman's certificate, and many who , ,Jiold if have no idea- of going to r sea. •.In. the-list of those names mentioned as being on shore, sixty-two are resident outside New- Zealand'., / Captain Baldwin: I didn't include 'those. •■•' ...;■:■ ■■ ■* '.■.'..

■■■-. Mr. Wallace: Also there are thirty-, one who have been drawn in the ballot; and several who'have enlisted.

' Regarding the statutory schedule, •Mr.' Wallace said that he had already tried to'explain'to the boardthe difference • between safe \ working and breaking strain. That did not apply to eugineers only. There was hardly a ship went out of port that was not "staffcd\far above the schedule rate, and the ships were working overtime to cope with the business. The chairman:.l iindenstand by that : schedule that it is the irreducible minimum with whioh a ship can go fr> sea.

';',■■■' Mr. Mack: Is not statutory requirement the margin P ■.-'■■■ ':,;'; Mr. Wallace: No. I think it is the i breaking margin. ■■'.-. Mr. Mack:'Do you mean to say that it is below what is necessary for the 'safety of the public? If you reduce it ■-■■■:'-)■ you are courting; disaster. That is a 'V' very, serious position. > . . ..'■ v> The Safety of the Publio. 'Mr. Wallace: The, people who make ■laws are not' always those who best ' understand the position. i< Mr. Mack: The safety of the public '•'.. should be the first consideration of " -." those who make the laws. i • .■■■:;■ Mr: Wallaoe: Those who make the ; laws frequently know little about their application. , .The chairman: Unfortunately that ■■■--.' is so. ■'■'•.■ ' :, Mr. Wallace said that engineers were, needed on land as well as on sea, and it would be no good robbing Peter to pay Paul. For instance, freezing companies had to ,'havo engineers. The chairman: Quite so. W. A. Kennedy, Wellington manager V ' for<the Union Company, gave evidence —to the effect that the company had , ad- ' ..yertised Jor _men. Twenty-one engineers'Kad; responded, and fifteen : would be accepted.. So far twonty-nine 'of the engineers in the service of the ■ company Had been drawn in the ballot, "*N ,so the net result-was- that the vacancies had not been filled. : As to .the ..'suggestions regarding using -engineers who were now ashore Mr. Kennedy '-■•said it-was neither-common sense or liuman nature' to expect men to leave • lucrative shore'; jobs to' fake temporary sea jobs. : They'-would look at it in ■" the ligjjt vthat' the war might be over 'in six months'and that their shore iobs might riot] be'available for,them after- ■ ' wards. :.'".. ' ' . ' ' .j . ~, ■ Captain Baldwin: Have you consider- ■',-. Ed the-.suggestionthat you should offer •-■'-.,■' them:rn'oro money? ; "_. : : \ : ■"■'■ 'Mr. -Kennedy:, Yes. 'and I say em- , ■; phatically that only' chaos could; result > from adopting it. . : . '. It would not '■■ "'■ be, fair to experienced men to bring in shore men at' salaries' above theirs. _ Mr Kennedy said also that tho.position.'of the compariyS- essential ■ser- ••- ; rices .would become serious.if more en- ; cir.eers were taken.'. He sUEgestetl ; . ihat the 'appeals should be adjourned for a month, to : erinblp the companies to see where-thev stood; " : ■' Captain Baldwin: I won't oppose "that. Apparently the Union Company 'is beginning- to move now. _. ■' . ■ Mr. Kennedy: I don't think that is a fair observation. _ ' ' .'- v : ' Captain Baldwin: Well, I don't .think ■.:■■ ■;. the companv took it quite seriously enough at first. -. - Mr. Kennedy: Oh. quite seriously. .'-If.mire us a great deal of anxiety. Tlie cases were adiourneu till 'April 1.6.- .