MAIL STEAMER ZEALANDIA.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 101, 9 May 1885, Page 3

MAIL STEAMER ZEAL ANDIA.

History of tho Seamen's Strike. The great excitement which was manifested in the struggle between Captain Webber,of the steamship Zealandia, and the Seamen's and Lumpers' Unions culminated in a mild form April 30. As it waa well known that the Zealandia was expected every moment after noon yesterday, there was an unusual number of people on the wharves anxiously looking for her, and towards evening quite a orowd had congregated on the main tee of Queen-street Wharf. They were for the most part persons interested in the Union, and while waiting for the steamer's arrival they discussed a variety of plans for the luccess of their desires. A few minutes before 10 p.m. the Zealandia appeared this side of the North Head, and when her fog-horn was blown, and her gun fired shortly afterwards, there was a regular rush to the end of the wharf, though for what good object it waa difficult to imagine. The Customs launch got underweigh immediately with a detachment of police, including Sergeant Martin and Constable MacDonald, of the Water Police, and boarded the Zealandia when she dropped anchor in midstream, off the end of Queen-street wharf. Shortly afterwards anofchor boat came alongside with Sergeant Pratt, Detectives Hughes and Twohey, and others, and the guardians of the peace at once installed themselves at the gangway. Our representative was early on the scene, and found everybody on the steamer in a great state of excitement. Passengers and officers alike expected some hostile demonstration from the Unions, and every precaution had been taken to prevent the success of any such movement. Imperative orders were issued by Captain Webber, and enforced most rigidly, that no person was to leave or come on board of the ship without authority from himself or the agents, and tho through passengers for San Francisco and Honolulu were not allowed to land. There was an unusually large number of passengers on the vessel, and they took a wonderful interest in the evening's proceedings. Where the crew of the vessel was Beemed somewhat of a mystery, for hardly any of them could be seen about the deck, and it was concluded that Captain Webber had wisoly stowed thorn away out of reach of temptation. About fifteen minutes after the Zealandia had dropped anchor, a small steam launch waa observed aDproaching the vessel, and a cry was raised of "There cornea the Seamen's Union." A good deal of chaff was then exchanged, and countless recommendations wero made as to how the visitors should be received. The launch prove.i to be the Huia with six or seven persons on board. As she came alongside one of them called out several time?, " Are there any members of the Seamen's Union on board?" but there was no response. The chief officer recommended them to sheer off, but they kept the steamer going backwards and forwards alongside the Zealandia, until Captain Webber appeared personally and threatened to turn the hot water on to them. Whether this frightened the party, or whether they saw that nothing was to be gained by staying, their launch immediately went full speed ahead and made tracks for the shore. In confirmation of our cable despatch on this subject,our representative learned that the Zealandia had more than her complement of men, not one of whom belonged to a union, and it was by their efforts that the vessel was enabled to get away from Sydney with sufficient coal to continue the voyage. All that remained to be done, theteforo, was the discharge of mails, the landing of passengers, reception of fresh provisions and cargo, which shippers had themselves to put on board, the loading of the outward mail, and reception of passengers for 'Frisco, all of which was promptly accomplished without interference on the part of the Unionists, and >vilhin a few hours After her arrival the Zeaiandia was again underweigh. with 2^ days to make up before reaching Frisco in order to arrive there up to contract date. Captain Webber's Version of tho Strike. In an interview with our representative, Captain Webber, commander of the Zealandia, related tho follow ing story of the strike :— On the day after my vessel arrived at Sydney, I was waited on by four persons who styled themselves a Vigilance Committee, and said that they had come on board to discuss certain matters pertaining to the Seamen's Union. They asked me if I was prepared to discharge all my Chinese, and to engage Union men at the Union rate of wages. I gave them to understand that it waa my intention to retain the crow I had got on the articles, and sign anoth* r crew on the ensuing voyage on the same terms as the last crew. There followed a long discussion, I pointed out to thsm that if they would let me continue the voyage unmolested, I would so represent matters to the owners that the Chinese might be dispensed with. They replied that they had given four months' notice to the agents of the action they intended to take, but they had given me no notice. I a6ked why they came to me in this instance, and why they singled out my ship, while an other of the P.M. Company's vessels had been allowed to go away unmolested, whereas she had a crew composed almost entirely of Chinese. They answered that I was the senior captain, and best able to bear any blame. They again asked me what I intended to do, and I stated that I was determined to retain the Chinese crew, under all circumstances, upon the terms I had shipped them at San Francisco, and refused to discharge them at any port. In answer to questions I then told them that it was my intention to sign articles that day, and they said that if I would defer doing so until thoy could hold a meeting on the same evening, neither my men nor the ship would be interfered with. Resolutions passed at that meeting were to have been submitted to mo on the following morning. I agreed, and at once set about paying off the European portion of the crew, Sydney being the port of discharge, and I had finished doing so at 6 p.m. After the last man had been paidoff, tho person calling himself the Secretary of the Seamen's Union came to me, and said that he had instructions to tell me that unless I agreed on the gpot to discharge every Chinaman from the ship, to pay white firemen £9 per month (which is double the wage paid by other oceangoing steamers trading to Sydney), trimmers £7 per month, increase my eea men's wages to coast wages, and reduce their hours of labour, he would

Order the Wfcole Crew Out of the Ship. Tacked if T was to understand that unices I gave an affirmative answer, I should find no men in my ship in the morning, and he said that I was to do so. Then I refused to accede to any of his demands, stating that I was determined to. retain the Chinese then on the articlos until they could be legally discharged. After this interview every European except theotfipers was ordered to leave the vessel by the Union, and they did so, even to the night watchman, who had been sleeping all day in preparation for his watch at night, for which he had been paid. X «Xt warning aft thajfc renj&iatd oi $i» <jy $y

were 35 Chinese. Those who had left inoluded between 60 and 70 Union men. The chief officer succeeded in obtaining the services of eight or ten labourers for general work on the ship, when at 7 a.m. the Secretary of the Seamen's Union came and ordered them off. I felt exceedingly annoyed, caught hold of the fellow, and threw him from the vessel on to the wharf. Since that time there has not been a Union man on board of the ship, and I succeeded in shipping a full crew of nonUnion men. ' The Zealandia thus left Sydney with 1,600 tons of coal, 100 tons of tin, having discharged half of her inward cargo with non-Union labour, und shipped a crew of 110 men, which number is in excess of the vessel's usual complement, and greatly in excess of that required by law, the deck hands being all thorough sailors, notwithstanding the combined efforts of the amalgamated Unions. On the Saturday before we left Sydney, a third party came to me to ascertain how far I would go to meet the Unions, and I then offered to discharge the Chinamen upon arrival at San Francisco, not to engage them any more, and not to engage in the intercolonial trade whilst I had a Chinaman on board. The Unions, however, again demanded instant dismissal of the Chinese, and this and other exorbitant demands I refused to accede to. -

The Boatswain was Mobbed in George-streefc by between three and four hundred men, when everybody who could get a kick at him gave him one. He was rescued by the police after sustaining severe injuries, and was taken to his home. During this scuffle, several members of the force were maltreated by the mob, and some of the latter were arrested. The boatswain was brought back to the ship early on the morning oefore we sailed. The crew now on the Zealandia was engaged upon my own terms, viz., sailors £6, and servants £5, and all others in excess of Union rates. The Chinese firemen get higher pay than white firemen in London ships, viz., £5 4a per month ; and Chinese servants get £4 16s per month. Steamers from London pay £4 10s for firemen, £3 15s for trimmers, £3 15s for sailors, and £3 for servants. Respecting future arrangements, I may state that some intimate friends of the owner, Mr Pierce, of Glasgow, assart that he will take all proper steps to mark hie disapproval of the action taken by the Unions of Australasia. I consider that I was most unfairly and deceitfully treated by them.

Arrest on the Zealandia. The surmise that a representative of the Sydney Seamen's Union would be on the Zealandia as a passenger proved correct. Shortly after the vessel wailed he so conducted himself in making overtures to the crew that Captain "W ofaber had. him. placed under arrest. He also declined to let the man go until immediately before the vossol left this port, at 6.30 this morning. Thie, of course, prevented any communication between him and the Auckland Unionist?, who, when informed of his arrest, expressed great indignation, but learned the news too late to permit of any action being taken to secure his early release. At Unionist meetings in Sydney the members threatened to pursue the same couise with the rest of the Company's steamers as they had done with the Zealandia unless their demands should be acceded to, and the City of Sydney, which will arrive here about Sunday next, and go from here to Sydney, is likely to have a repetition of the Zealandia's trouble. The Sydney agent of the P.M. Company cabled to 'Frisco for instructions, and in terms of reply he informed the Sydney Unions that he was prepared to yield to their demands in future so far as the Zealandia and Australia were concerned, as both made Sydney their headquarters, but that he had no authority over the City of Sydney. The concession wap not accepted, and now it teems that war has boon doclarcd on both sides. The struggle promises to bo a hard one, and it is difficult to imagine how it will end. In connection with the working of the Auckland Unions, we regret that their professed system of fair play has been departed from, in at least one instance. Before the Zealandia cume into this port, Mr C. Rowe, shipping clerk of H.M. Customs was waited upon by a deputation representing the Seamen's Union. They asked him not to ship any but Union men on the Ze ilandia, ami he dec'iued point blank to accede to this request. One of them then said, " Well, we will see you safe home to-night." Mr Rowe recognised this as asTa. threat, but proco ided with his work, went home, and afterwards went on the Zealandia unmolested, and then oleared the ship. In conversation with an Auckland gentleman the Chief Engineer of the Zealandia ea'd that he would not have remained in the vessel had he not been engaged for an unt xpired term of three years', but that when he came back to Sydney he would refuse to stay in his position unless Captain Webber shipped all Union men. He said he had told Captain Webber of his intention, and the Captain hnd said that the position was that he would have to discharge the Chinese and take Union mea on his return to Sydney, as the Unions were too strong for him to fight against. The Zealandia did not get away from hero until 6. 30 this morning owing to delays in the landing and reception of passengers with their luggage, and the necessary mail work. Vessels came alongside with the cargo, but they were afforded no assistance in their efforts to tranship it, and tho result was that it was all left behind.