Exorbitant Wage Demands by Crew of Tug

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 55, 8 March 1944, Page 4

Exorbitant Wage Demands by Crew of Tug

PRIME MINISTER OBJECTS TO LENGTH OF QUESTION. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, March 7. In the House of Representatives this afternoon Mr. M. H. Oram gave notice to ask the Minister of Labour if ho would take steps to see that the presence of vessels in distress off the New Zealand coast was not used by union members of the crews of seagoing tugs for the purpose of demanding exorbitant rates of pay for their services. Mr. Oram said an Allied vessel v\as in distress off Wellington last December and appealed to tlio Harbour Board for assistance. The demands of the men were so exorbitant that the Harbour Board refused to send its tug to sea and referred the matter to the Navy authorities who had no vessel to send and directed the Harbour Board to send the tug, the Navy to be responsible for the expense. Mr. Oram said the total cost of wages for union members was £7O lGs each plus their keep over a period of eleven days. Mr. Oram asked if provision should not be made in such cases for a tug to put to sea, the question of wages to bo agreed upon afterwards, and failing an agreement the matter bo settled by some suitable tribunal. The Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser) called the attention of the Speaker to the length of the note to the question, which lip said, was more of a speech than a question. The Speaker said the question was in order and although the note might be lengthy full infoi-mation had been given by the member so that an answer could be supplied.