MAORI HELD UP

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 95, 16 January 1919, Page 4

MAORI HELD UP

WHHOUT FIREMEN WAGE OF £2 PER DAY ASKED The ferry steamer Maori did not sail for the south last evening because she was short of firemen. Mr. W. A. Kennedy, manager of the Wellington office of the Union Company, speaking to a Dominion reporter last .night, said,that certain men were engaged at Lytteltou at £2 a day on account of a in, the stokehold complement. A number of waterside firemen (lireraon who are usually waterside workers) had been engaged, at £1 ss. a day, and yesterday they loft the Maori in accordance with'due notice. Only three firemen, ongaged at the ordinary wage of £14 10s. a month, remained on the articles, and as the company could not engage twelve other men to complete the full crew at a daily wage lower than £2, there was no alternative, but to cancel the trip. Mr. Kennedy stated that even before tlie Christmas holidays men were engaged at £2 daily so that the public might not stiffer . more. inconvenience than could reasonMily bo avoided. The present state 61' affairs could not go on, but'had to be faced sooner or later.

It was .11.15 a.m. yesterday when the Maori arrived at Wellington from. Lyttelton. the late hour of her arrival being due to the vessel having to come up β-t a reduced speed owing to .there not. being a full crew to work all the fires.