“STARVING” FIREMEN

Hokitika Guardian, 23 May 1925, Page 3

“STARVING” FIREMEN

THE LUXURY BILL OE HAKE. ["BY TELEGRAPH —PEll PRESS ASSOCIATIVE.’.] WELLINGTON', May 2J. A passenger who came over I rout Melbourne on the Manuka, informed a. pressman that Lyons harangued the crew and tried to persuade them not to go on the boat at Melbourne, hut those who might have been inclined to listen to him were hardly in a lit condition to appreciate the oratory, and they went aboard. On the journey the passengers knew there was every possibility of trouble, lnit fortunately the speed of the vessel was not slowed down, lie ronlirmcd ihe statement that the menu, which had been conned ed fur the journey was altered hallway across. The passenger had the opportunity ol' seeing a copy of the menu “demanded." and conceded and was s> impressed that he took a copy of it. There were not two days alike. The first and last days menus are given as follows : Sunday—breakfast, porridge, grilled steak and onions, ham and eggs. Dinner—vegetable soup, roast pork and seasoning, roast beef, potatoes and cabbages, sago [Kidding. Tea—cold meats, greens and tomatoes, jellies and scones.

Saturday— Breakfast —porridge, ha nihil rg steak, pork sausages and onions. Dinner—mulligatawny. roast iamb, mint sauce, cauliilowor, roast and boiled potatoes, baked "am roll and custard. Tea -cold meats, fruit pie, pastry.

It then transpired that even this menu did not include sonic items which "ere on the old menu, such as fricassee of rabbit, boiled tripe and onion-, salad etc. In addition t.i the issue of rations, the men also had every night what is known on ships ;“Rlaek tern a practice "hi:h becomes a sort ot unwritten law liv long usage. ''Rlaek pan” was all the Jood left after t'saloon jasso tigers had had dinner. I h'.s would include iilete.l soles, chicken, soups, jellies, in fa t all local remaining in the saloon galley which hac not been served. Upon occasions tlieiq had been so much that the night nm> of the crew turned up at the galley to take it down to the foeastle. and if there was more then they could eat they would pick it over and “dump' the rest. Their full regulation rations were issued daily to the bust ounce, hut never an ounce was returned

anything, whether eaten or not. Further inquiries revealed that the men on the Arahura. Moeraki and many of them on the Man idea are absolutely “fed up” with the tactics of this kind of I.WAV. men, the result. of whose work is to put them out of their jobs. This was indicated on the Manuka yesterday when many of the crew who had kpet apart from the disaffected ones said the I.WAV. men had only a very small following,