WORK AT SEA.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 August 1922, Page 4

WORK AT SEA.

NO SHORE PLEASURES THERiE, QUESTION OF SUNDAY LABOR. By Telegraph.—Press Association, Wellington, Last Night. Before the Arbitration Court evidenedin the seamen’s and firemen’s dispute was continued. In the course of thd evidence of James Smith, superintendent engineer for the Union Company, a question was asked as to what dividends he as a shareholder had received. His Honor: We don’t want to know anything about it. We are not concerned with dividends. Cross-examined as to hours at sea, witness said: “You don’t imagine a ship is going to stop while at sea on Sunday. If a man objects to work on Sundays he should not go to sea. You can’t expect to work the same hours as people ashore and go to bed at nine every night or go to the picture show.” Criticising the company’s proposal that the ordinary hours of labor should be any eight in the 24, Mr. Young declared that would mean men would be messed about in such a manner as to make their lives almost unbearable. Mr. Smith: You know that is not our intention, Mr. Young. Later, Mr. Young asked: Would you permit seamen to hold stop-work meetings once a month between 8 a.m. .nd noon.

Mr. Smith: No; I would sooner see them go to a community sing.