WITHOUT FIREMEN

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 225, 11 June 1918, Page 4

WITHOUT FIREMEN

: -,<! PATELNA STILL IX I'UKT. Firemen without a ship continue to bo unanimous in their objection to work iu the stokehold ut the Cnion Steam Ship Company's Paleena, as was shown by yesterday's ell'orl to sign on tlie requisite eiv.ii - . Mr. \V. T. \oung, secretary of the Federated Seamen's t'nion, when (liicstioned on the matter yesterday, would make no comment on the action of the men.

Yet nnother attempt will be made today to find firemen, and if it is successful the Fateenn will sail at 12.45 p.m. for Picton only, returning late to-night. In official circles the question has arisen as to whether the men who left tho Patecna did not bring themselves under the provisions of either the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, or the War Regulation!; governing strikes in essential industries. This phase, it is understood, is being considered, and it is not improbable that prosecutions will follow. In some quarters it has been asserted. that the present enso is a parallel one to that of tho Maori, the stokehold crew of which steamer were fined for participating in a strike. The' Maori's firemen were prosecuted under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act for an alleged breach of the agreement which governed their employment. One fireman was dismissed for disobedience, and the other nine firemen and five trimmers gave notice and left the ship on the following day. The Magistrate (Mr. W. G. Kiddell, S.M.) f in his finding held that the men were acting in concert, and so their action was illegal. Mr. Kiddell held that as the men had decided to leave the ship in a body prior to giving notice the formal giving of such notice was not a matter of moment.