SEAMEN’S DISPUTE.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 April 1922, Page 5

SEAMEN’S DISPUTE.

THE EMPLOYERS’ CASE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The seamen’s dispute created by the employers, who seek to return to the 1917 agreement conditions, came up before the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. W. Newton) at Wellington yesterday. Mr. W. G. Smith stated that the employers’ proposals were framed to cover the seamen’s conditions and wages right throughout the Dominion. He claimed that, if they were to carry on operations without losses, they must have some modification of the present rates and conditions. The important principle of an eight-hour day had been agreed to in 1917, and the companies did not seek to alter that, but they desired to revert to the general provisions of that agreement, which had worked well for three years. Referering to the competition shipowners had to meet, Mr. Smith said there was practically no competition in New Zealand waters, but the employers had to meet competition outside of New Zealand waters. For instance, a British company only this week secured the .Nauru-Auckland phosphate trade at 4s Gd per gross ton per month, but the Union Company’s running expenses and oapital charges amounted to 9s per ton, exactly double. It was obvious that the Union Company was quite unable to compete under such circumstances. Mr. Smith quoted rates of pay showing that; competitors paid considerably lower wages.

Mr. W. T. Young interjected: Your company had a great advantage owing to the war.

Mr. Smith retorted that during the war there was no competition in wages. The position was now reversed, and the competition was keen. Mr. Young said the companies trading from British Columbia paid their men £2 a month more than the Union <Coxn- •-.