THE COASTAL STEAMERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1734, 25 September 1917, Page 3

THE COASTAL STEAMERS.

ONE SAILS WITH “FREE’ CREW. One of the vessels affected by the coastal steamer hold-up, the Opawa, left Wellington on Sunday, with a non-union crew. The men are stated to have been brought from Blenheim, as the owners of the ■vessel, Messrs T. Eckford and Co., were desirous of taking the vessel to that port to be painted and overhauled. The extra man demanded by the Seamen’s Union was not put on in the watch. „ Apart from this incident, there are no further developments in connection with the trouble. The cases against Messrs Young and Howell, charged with inciting a seditious strike, are set down to be heard by the Magistrate on Thursday.

THE POSITION IN NAPIER

Referring .to the trouble in connection with the coastal steamers, (he Hawke's Bay Herald of Saturday says: —“All the crews of the vessels idle —Rum, Kiritona, Koau, To Aroha, and Echo —were paid off by last Monday except the engineers and captains, who arc standing hy (heir vessels, and have to be maintained hy the company while they are in port. _ The coastal stations will soon be in want of supplies of food, and unless some agreement is reached, of which there is no prospect at present, the people will he in a had.way. AVhon asked if free labour could ho taken on, an employer said that unless the Minis(or of Alarinc suspended the Shipping and Seamen’s Act, as in 1913, nothing in this way could be done. The reason why the Tahgaroa, Tu Aatu, Alako, and Awahou arc not affected is because the former two arc on river limit articles, and the latter two are in a different class (ban the smaller vessels already mentioned. -

A good deal of: inconvenience has boon caused to business people both here and at Palmerston, through the non-running oL‘ the Queen of the South, which transports the hulk of merchandise from AA ollington. Goods have now to he railed from AVellington at a much higher freight. A fair amount of hemp is accumulating in the local stores awaiting shipment. The arrival and departure of the Queen always provided work for a number of hands on the wharf. The labour in this connection can, however, be adsorbed in other directions. Foxlon is not isolated from the railway service. AA e are informed also that certain goods can he conveyed from Wellington por motor lorry cheaper than by rail, but this means of transport cannot compete with sea-borne freights.