MERCHANT SERVICE GUILD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 204, 7 December 1910, Page 5

MERCHANT SERVICE GUILD

ARBITRATION COURT AWARD. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Sydney, December 5. In the Federal Arbitration Court, His Honor Judga Higgins delivered judgment in connection with the Merchant Service Guild case. His Honor made exhaustive comparisons of the rates of pay existing in the English and Australian services, and compared the wages paid to seamen in reference to the purchasing power of the actual money received in the countries where officers lived, and by this process arrived at what he considered a fair minimum of, £l5O a year as necessary for an officer's subsistence, and, deducting £3O as representing the value of the officer's Keep on board, made £lO a month the minimum for fourth or fifth officers, rising gradually, according to the tonnage and character of vessels on which they are engaged, to masters' pay of £43 a month. His Honor made reference to the Union Company's strict regulations and requirements from officers, remarking that in all grades the qualifications demanded exceeded those of the Board of Trade. No doubt the qualifications were very excellent, but the company would have to pay. The award, which is to be argued tomorrow as to details, which had been practically left in the hands of His Honor by the parties, prescribes practically an .eight hours' day ashore and afloat, regular periods of leave for officers while in home' ports, extending from 21 to 28 days yearly for masters, and 14 days for officers. Every master and .officer should be entitled to absence from the vessel at his home port for from one hour after the vessel is safely berthed to two hours before the time fixed for sailing. Overtime rates in port: Masters 5s and officers 2s Gd an liour. The following are the minimum monthly rates: Inter-State passenger vessels, for respectively master, chief, second, and third officers, 1000 tons and under, £25, £l6, £l3, and £11; under 2000 tons, £2B, £l7, £l4, £l2; under 3.000 tons, £32, ,£lB, £ls, £l2; under 4000 tons, £37, £l9, £l6, £l3; over 4000 tons, £43, £2O, £l7, £l4. Inter-State cargo vessels, under 1003 tons, £24, £ls, £l2, £11; 2000 tons, £27, £l6, £l3, £l2; under 3000 tons, £3O, £l7, £l4, £l2; under 4000 tons, £33, £lB, £ls, £l3; over 4000 tons, £36, £lB, £ls, £l3. In all cases fourth and fifth officers will receive a minimum of £lO.

Mr. Justice Higgins, in the course of the Merchant Service Guild judgment, declared that one witness had said thai the ambition of seamen was to get a job ashore, ani one could hardly wonder at such an ambition. Low wages, homeless and wandering conditions were rapidly tending to deplete the British merchant service of Britishers and fill ships with foreigners, and there were not wanting gloomy prophesies of the effect of this depletion on the naval power of the Empire. Received 6, 9 p.m. « Sydney, December 6.

Mr. Justice Higgins met representative parties in the Merchant Service Guild case, and discussed the questions of an eicht hours' day in port, and a month's notice, which were brought up by the respondents. Nothing was decided, and the conference adjourned for a week to Melbourne.