A FIREMEN'S STRIKE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 13, 14 January 1913, Page 8

A FIREMEN'S STRIKE.

THE MAPOURIKA LAID UP

(Per Press Association.)

Wellington, January 13,

The recent series of troubles with the stokehold crew of the Mapourika j have now culminated in a proper holdup of the ship, which will be unable to leave to-morrow for the West Coast. To-day the whole of the firemen, trimmers and greasers signed off the ship’s articles. This they were entitled to do, as previously they had given the 24 hours’ notice required by law. This step had been taken by the men to enforce their demands for a strengthening of the stokehold crew. The -natter has been taken up by the Seamen’s Union, whose secretary, Mr. T. W. Young, told a pressman that the Union Company had no chance at all of getting a new crew until the demand is acceded to. The Westport Goal Company’s collier Regulus is still tied up at the Clyde Quay Wharf, and on present appearances is likely to remain there for a while. Neither the firemen nor the company will stir from the positions taken up in regard to the request for extra hands in the stokehold. THE FIREMEN’S TROUBLE.

In an explanation of the position, Mr. Young said that the men had resolved to leave the ship now because they considered she had become altogether too heavy for three firemen to work. The Union recently asked the company to increase the number of firemen to six. This would allow two men to a watch, who would do the firing and trimming between them. At present the vessel carried three firemen and two trimmers in her stokehold, and three greasers in the engine room. Thus there was only one fireman to a watch, and he had to attend to four fires. The concession for which the men asked would only mean an extra £l2 per month to the company, but the proposal had been absolutely declined. The company had stated that'the ship had been running for fourteen years on the same number of men in the stokehold, but it was well known that as ships got older they became harder on the men. The boilers got out of repair, and it was more difficult to keep steam up. Two of the oldest and most respected firemen on the coast had told him after a week in the Mapourika’s stokehold that she was the hardest thing they had ever tackled in their lives. “As to the company’s threat to tie the ship up,” said Mr. Young, “We do not give a rap of the fingers whether they tie her up or not. The question is one purely of their own concern. They are owners of the vessel, and can do just exactly what they like with her. But so far as the men are concerned they are going to say exactly what are the terms and conditions under which tjiey are going to work. The first week that the trouble occurred on the Mapourika I did my very best to get the men to take her to sea in order to meet the convenience of those passengers who had booked by her, so that we might be free in placing our proposals before the Union Company. This proposal was turned down by the company, and now the Mapourika is turned down by the men. We consider that they have a legitimate grievance, and as an official of the Union I am going to see them right through with .t.” “Will the Mapourika get another stokehold crew to go to sea to-morrow under the old conditions?” asked the reporter.

“No,” was the reply. “She won’t get even half a man. There is absolutely no chance of her getting a crew under the old conditions.”

No statement respecting the trouble could be obtained from the officials of the Union Company yesterday. The Mapourika was moved from Jervois Quay to the Railway Wharf in the morning to discharge coal. Someone has been engaged on day labour to keep the steam up for the winches.