ARBITRATION COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 August 1922, Page 4

ARBITRATION COURT.

MARINE ENGINEERS' DISPUTE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The hearing of the marine engineers’ dispute concluded before the Arbitration Court to-day. After evidence had been called in support of the Marine Engineers’ Institute case, Mr. W. J. Smith, who appeared on behalf of the Union Steamship Company, criticised briefly the allegations of the union, and denied the statement of Mr. M. T. R. Wallace, secretary of the institute, that the company had made phenomenal profits during the war. As a matter of fact, he said, they had paid no dividend last year, nor had there been any so far this year. There had been no increase in hours, and the company could not agree to the demand that chief engineers should be paid overtime.

His Honor remarked that Sir John Monash had been opposed to overtime for chief engineers, but had granted a 10 per cent, bonus.

Mr. Smith argued that Sir John, although a good soldier, was not experienced in marine engineering. The secretary of the Australian Engineers’ Institute had declared that the marine engineers in Australia were in a better position now than ever before, and that the marine engineers in New Zealand were in even a better posi tion. Unless running costs could be reduced more ships would have to be laid up. The Court announced that the award would not be made until it had heard other seafaring disputes.