WELLINGTON NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 13 February 1920, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES

(Our Special Correspondent)

FEItRY HOLD UP

TROUBLE IN STOKEHOLD

AVELLINGTON, Feb. 9

The ferry steamers between Wellington and Lyttelton again arc held up. The trouble at this end is with the Maori and at the Lyttelton end with the Mararoa. At 7 o’clock on Friday evening the firemen and trimmers walked off the former vessel and refused to return till certain defects in the boilers were repaired. They alleged that they had given notice of their intention to do this some days before and that they had been working under almost intolerable conditions solely to save the travelling public from inconvenience. Two inspectors of the Marine Department were called in to report upon the allegations and after an investigation testified that the boilers were sound and the vessel seaworthy but the men remained obdurate and at half past nine the passengers—some 500 in all—were compelled either to disembark or to arrange for accommodation on board the vessel. Tile trouble on the Mararoa had to do with a case of influenza, which developed on the trip down on Thursday night and necessitated a thorough fumigation of the vessel, which could not be completed to the satisfaction of the men in time to allow her to return on Friday. THE MEN’S ATTITUDE.

From such information as can be obtained the attitude of the crew of thd Mararoa was not altogether unreasonable. The health officer at Lyttelton has not been making light of influenza cases and any fumigation that could have taken place during the eight or nine hours the vessel remained in port must have been of a more or less superficial character. But the case for the firemen and trimmers of the Maori is not quite so clear. The men declare that for some time past the boilers of the vessel have been leaking badly and flooding the stokehold with scalding water. It has been impossible, they say, to get up a full head of steam and the conditions have been not only extremely disagreeable, but actually perilous. The Union Company, on the other hand, points to the report of the Government inspectors, who were called in at the request of the men, and insists the conditions are nothing like they have been represented to be. However, the boilers are now being overhauled and it is hoped the vessel will get away this evening. THE COAL DISPUTE.

After their conference heredast week the members of the Coal Mine Owners’ Association interviewed the Prime Minister with a view to obtaining his assist, ance in facilitating a settlement of the dispute between the Association and the Miners’ Federation, and on Saturday Mr Massey issued for publication, a statement which has revived hopes of the negotiations between the parties being resumed on an amicable footing. “In connection with the coal-mining dispute,” the statement runs, “the Prime Minister has arranged to meet a conference of representatives of the New Zealand Coal Mine Owners’ Association and representatives of the Executive of the Miners’ Federation next Wednesday, in Wellington.” Mr Massey denies the report of the conference being a compulsory one and declares himself hopeful of bringing about a settlement that will be satisfactory to both the employers and the men and welcome to the public. The representatives of the Federation remain reticent, and are giving no information-away. ‘‘A SCRATCH TEAM.”

This is the title the “Evening Post” applies to the Ministry that has been carrying on the business of the country since the dissolution of the National Government. Having fought valiantly for the winning side during the election campaign it resumes as gracefully as it may its old role of the candid friend. Its text for the moment is the need for a live Minister o*f Public Works. “If party exigencies and personal relationships were excluded from consideration,” it says, “there would be no case at all for delay, and the call for an immediate appointment would be overwhelming. From this it proceeds to say that the need for reconstruction rose immediately the Germans laid down their arms and implies that someone is very much to blame for not having taken it in hand at the time. And then after mentioning certain ‘‘party and personal considerations whch are more or less an open secret’ ’it warns Mr Massey he will only increase his < i culties by delay. One of his difficulties must be to understand bis adviser means.