ARBITRATION COURT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 64, 6 September 1911, Page 5

ARBITRATION COURT

MEX ON SMALL STEAMERS. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. In the Arbitration Court to-day further evidence was heard in the dispute between the Merchant Service Guild anu the Shipmasters' Federation. The tsection of the dispute heard concerned only the officers of small steamers o(f less than, 1000 ons gross register, all of them being in fact of less than 500 tons register. Mr. Bryor, in opening the ease for the employers, said the Merchant Service Guild had ignored the class of steamers affected by it and the class of trade in which they are engaged. Claims had been based on Mr. Justice Higgins' Australian award, which dealt with large steamers, some of them of 5000 or GOOO tons, while these demands affected steamers none of which were of more than 500 tons register. The demands were even more extravagant than those given in Australia. The claims were absolutely impracticable on small steamers, and were not based on the conditions prevailing in any trade in any part of the world. If the demands were granted the result would assuredly he f 'to drive the small vessels out of their I present trade. The taking of evidence I was not concluded to-day. I. '