RED FUNNEL FLEET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 243, 4 March 1913, Page 5

RED FUNNEL FLEET.

A STRIKE IMMINENT. 1)1 SATISFIED ENOINKERS. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington. Last Night. Dissatisfa (Lion among the engineers of tliii Union Company's licet is said lo be approadting a very c-ritifstl point-, and it is regarded as certain that unless a settlement is readied in a few days the whole o; the -Red Funnel steamers will be laid up. Tim engineers have expressed their intention of giving notice to cease work as soon as possible, owing to the refusal of the Company to concede conditions of work and wages on a par with those of the existing Australian Arbitration Court award. A ballot was taken recently bv the Union Company's engine-room stall's, and the result is in favour of drastic steps to be taken to obtain improved conditions, regarding which a late conference between the Company's representatives and the Union delegates could not find a basis of agreement. Mr. W. A. Kennedy, local manage]' of the Company, s-iid to-day that lie had been approached, and. so far as he knew, the Company would adhere to its intention to have the matter brought before the Conciliation Council. A pressman was informed that th" Maori's engineers will give the 24 hours' notice required by the Act at Lyttelton to-morrow. The engineers of the Monowai, now vn route to Auckland, will piooably give notice prior to her return to Dunedin next week. Notices from those on the Flora and Pateena are regarded as imminent. Mr. Wallace, secretary of the Engineers' Institute, is reticent as to the men's intentions. A meeting of the Institute was held today, but the proceedings were kent strictly confidential, ' i: