COMPLAINT OF SAILING SHIP OWNERS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, 30 January 1909, Page 3

COMPLAINT OF SAILING SHIP OWNERS.

REPLY BY A SEAMAN'S REPRESENTATIVE. DUXEDIN, Friday. Mr W. Belcher, Secretary to the Seamen's Union, interviewed with regard to the New Zealand shipping laws and Mr Craig's complaints at Auckland, said:—"lt i.« a most remarkable thing that J. and J. Craig had gathered together a fleet of sailing vessels since the Shipping and Seamen's Act, 1903, came into operation, acquiring all these vessels knowing the 'harrassing restrictions' of the- law. Thp manning scale in New Zealand was adopted only after a close and searching inquiry; but it is not. yet as liberal as it should be in regard to the lives and property at stake." Mr Belcher a.l«> cited the profits made by shipowners to show that there was no room for complaint. "The changing of the. register of ships to Australia will nfl'urd no relief," he said, "as the Australian Navigation Bill, sooner or later, will become law. As to the injustice of returning a man to the port of shipment, unfortunately it had been the case that men joining ships in the Dominion have, been emptied out at other ports where labour was cheaper." : ".As to the non-Tecognition of Lloyd's certificates of survey," continued Mr Belcher, "the shipping conference in London unanimously resolved that nothing less than a Board of Trade certificate should be accepted. It was a gross exaggeration to'« say that the shipowner was liable in a double'sense as to workers' compensation, as this was not yet law in Australia. As to awards harrassing sailing ship owners, that was a piece of imagination. No sailing ship •wner had yet been cited before the ourt." ' '.■■■■-