MARINE STEWARDS.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 March 1924, Page 4

MARINE STEWARDS.

<**• BATHROOM ETIQUETTE. WELLINGTON, March 11. “If I used the saloon bathroom on the Wnliine I expect that a vacancy would shortly afterwards occur oil the staff,” remarked a steward before , the Arbitration Court, The iciiiark occurled during a discussion on hath accommodation on ferry steamers. Witness said till •re were thirty men on the Wnliine with nothing but one cold shower between them.

Mr Justice Fraser expressed surprise and said he, in common with other passengers, liked to know that the stewards were r.s clean as possible. They came most in touch with the pas-

sengers. Mr W. G. Smith, the company’s representative, said the Union Company had spent thousands of pounds in the last few years in improving accommodation for the crews of their vessels. Mr Young had hut the other day stated that it was far better than the accommodation required by the Shipping mid Seamen Act. That Act required that there should he bathrooms, and lie could net understand why there were none on the Wnliine. There was no objection at- all to stewards using the saloon bathrooms.

His Honor: The Wahine people seem to think there would he trouble. Mr Smith: Of ourso that is their statement.' - The trouble really is that there is constant friction between the departments. The firemen fight with the stewards. The engineers object to the cooks, and so it goes on right through the ship.

His Honor: You want someone on the ships with big sticks. The “sack” for a man occasionally would help nil the. others. Mr Smith concluded the discussion by remarking that generally the company’s regulations were well observed.