SEAMEN'S STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 September 1917, Page 5

SEAMEN'S STRIKE.

I MOSQUITO FLEET/,' .. 1 By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last'Nigtoi. , , The masters of several local. coastal ■ steamers this morning received notices from the men that the latter would not ■ "< Sail to-night unless two men were employed in the watch. Tho vessels nffect-i' cd aro the H'uia, Queen of tho Southj Kaitoa and Blenheim. ,<• The trouble is tho outcome of ft dis« ' pute regarding the interpretation of the eight hours clause in the new seamen's it agreement. Conferences were lisld re- ; garding this matter between thu Sea* men's Union and the Shipowners' Asso- . eiation, but no agreement wag reached, , and the shipowners proposed to take the i'matter to tho Arbitration Court. The chairman of the Shipowners' Committee ■ .states that the number of. men to comn | prise a watch had nob previously been ' 'the subject of any demand by the men, nor was it mentioned at recent confer-, • • .cnces. It has been the custom for some ' time to have only one man on the watch 'on tho smaller vessels. Nominally, prior, , -» 'to the new ap'eement, there were twa 011 tho watch, but generally one remains cd at the wheel and the other turnri'tj, Then, when the new agreement more rijfid conditions regarding hours, owners discontinued the practice of pay* ing a man for tho time spent in buni. The Minister of Marine is consider, ing the position which will arise if thq, men do not go to sea to-night, sinc«| < 'they will have broken the, legal requirement of twenty-four hours' notice.' 'The seamen's representative stated that the men are talcing action because thejj considered the present practice dftngern oils, as the steersman, with his eyea 01} . ; tho compass, could not keep a Ijtppeßi lookout. nl