MERCHANT SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3187, 11 September 1917, Page 7

MERCHANT SERVICE

DISCONTENT AMONG OFFICERS •APPEAL TO THE MINISTER OF /MARINE . A large deputation representing the Merchant Service-Guild waited upon the Minister of Marine (Hon. G. W. Russell) yesterday, to make'. representations reKawnn» the pay of ships' officers. . The deputation urged that officers were inadequately paid in comparison with the jnen they commanded, and asked tho as- ■ sistance of, the Minister in securing improved conditions. Captain Macindoe, speaking on behalt of the guild, said that, there was a great deal of'discontent in the merchant service at the present time. Somo of the stripping companies trading out of i\oiv •Zealand ports had granted increased payments by'way of war bonus, but the .Union Company had refused to, recon- ' fcider the agreement entered into -nearly two years ago. This agreement had anotVi- vear to run, but tho conditions had changed materially since it- was framed. (Wages and: salaries, as wellas-the cost ef ftving, bad increased In all directions, and the members of the guild felt that ;they' were'placed at. a very serious disadvantage. Tho-officers would be:conitent if thov were placed on. the. same footing as the engineers, The" chief., officer corresponding' to the second engineer, »nd so'on..: The present, position, said Captain Macindoe, was entirely unfair, ffhe third officer of a ferry steamer did mot draw more pay than, an. ordinary. , seaman. -■'.'.'.'■. .-: ... . The deputation referred also to tho jpoKftion of officers employed on vessels mot commandeered' by the 'Government, .and yet trading in .the danger zone. Members of the guild, in these cases were ' -lacing exceptional risks, arid it was suggested that tbe shipping "company cmVpliying' them should take out insurance ■ policies for men who were not covered ■bythe shipping law. Captain Macindoe said it'was quite evident that, the danger zone was growing: nearer. ■<,- -Would a man lie justified in refusing to sign articles on boats entering the danger aono until somo provision was njade for ; his' dependants in the event of his deafn? i A certain ship trading from iNew Zealand had disappeared, and the company and the. Government' did not ■Jknow what had become of her. •- Tie Minister;..in reply,.said that, be lad been surprised' to find'-that the wages paid, to. officers on the coastal sbips were not adequate for the services rendered and .the. responsibilities carried. ■The agreement. made between .tbe shipping companies and- the, Federated Seamen's Union provided that a donkeyman should be paid £U. per calendar-month, and it seemed very strange, that men. 'folding certificates and entrusted with -,th"e safety, of tbe ship should be worse ,<paid tnan the donkeymen. A third officer on a small coastal steamer was paid '.only £12 13s. per -month,, only 13s. moTe 'than the lamp trimmer or the able seaman. This slate of affairs required a • Temedv. The members' Of. tho guild, (however, had the right Of appeal'to the Arbitration Court, and. his .advice' to them must bo to take advantage of tho facilities offered by the Court for the settlement, of industrial disputes on a .'fair basis. It was the-policy of the Government to refrain from interference in cases where the parties ; to a dispute had the right of appeal' to the Court. Ho had. no doubt that the'Tfnion Company would give the suggestionSj of-the jruild sympathetic consideration. Ho (had already Riven consideration to . the position of officers arid men of.the mercantile marine in connection,with war [risks. ' He had asked tho of Marine for'a report on the position, and ps soon as full information reached him Die would bring - the matter before the 'Government, with the object of making provision for tho dependants of men who anight lose their lives through-the war.