SHORTAGE OF SEAMEN.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 October 1915, Page 5

SHORTAGE OF SEAMEN.

POSITION BECOMING MJOTB. Recently several vessels have been held" up at Wellington (says the Dominion) on account of a decided shortage of seamen, and present indications point to the trouble becoming more acute in the near future. This state of things will, it is said, have a serious effect on ship* ping. The whole trouble has been caused through the number of seamen who have enlisted, together with the fact that there has been plenty of work avaikvble on the wharves. It is estimated that since the war began about 1000 members of the Seamen's Union have either enlisted or, being membera of the Royal Naval Reserve, have been called up for active service. If the present state of atfaira continues, it is said that by Christmas time several vessels trading round the New Zealand coast will not be able to obtain crews at all. There h likely to be a shortage of suitable officers in the merchant service also. Several of the Union Company's steamers which havo been in the habit of carrying three and even four officers have, during the past few months, been cut down to two. The call for more men for the front has evidently gone home to the seafaring men, and up till the present a large number of single officers in tho Union Company's employ have either enlisted or hava' joined the Royal Naval Reserve. Wires the war commenced the company issued a circular to the effect that they would grant leave of absence to officers answering their country's call, but lately, It is understood this policy has been modilied. The result has been that many single oilicers who are eligible for active service, seeing how gerious the shortage of men to fill up our quotas for the Reinforcements has become, have resigned their positions with the Union Company to go into camp. And there will be several 'more following in -their footst»')s shortly. '