THE R.M.S. MONOWAI.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 94, 22 April 1893, Page 5

THE R.M.S. MONOWAI.

STEERAGE PASSENGERS'

GRIEVANCES,

ALLEGED OVERCROWDING.

A COMPLAINT.

The Union Steamship Company's fine mail steamer Monowai, 3,500 tons. Captain M. Carey, which arrived here last night from Sydney en route to San Francisco via Honolulu with mails, passengers, and cargo, was a full ship in every department when she cleared here to-day for 'Frisco. She has a very large number of passengers aboard for the* United States, but she had an even larger number on board on the passage across here from Sydney. The Monowai brought across here from Sydney 125 passengers for Auckland, and rather more iv trunsit for San Francisco, which makes over 250 all told. O£ those landed here, 60 were saloon passengers and 68 steerage. From Sydnoy for San Francisco and way ports, there are 90 saloun and 110 steerage. In addition to these about 45 saloon and 30 steerage booked at Auckland for San Francisco. Accordingly, the steamer had something like 260 passengers of all classes on board when she left here to-day for San Francisco. The steamer was deeply laden with cargo and coals. She has over 2,000 tons of coals on board for the voyage to California and back to the colonies,

The steamer has a sea-going license to carry 242 passengers in her ordinary passenger accommodation, which may be enlarged when occasion arises for it. On this trip special provision has been made on board the steamer in order to accommodate larger numbers of passengers than ordinary. It was found that the ordinary saloon accommodation—which has about 120 saloon berths—was too small for the growing requirements of the traffic, and accordingly it was decided by the Company's agents to turn the steerage quarters —or a large portion of it—in to saloon accommodation forthenonce. Berthawerefittedup in the 'tween-deeks forward (between the main deck and the lower deck), immediately beneath the steerage quarters, and these new quarters were rilled with passengers on the trip across from Sydney. As the result of considerable dissatisfaction amongst a number of tho steerage passengers on the trip across from Sydney, a position was drawn up on board shortly beforo tho steamer arrived here, and was presented to the Collector of Customs at Auckland, regarding tho steerage accommodation. It sot forth certain point 3 regarding tho paaitary arrangements on board the sliip; that the steerage and sleeping berths have boon used for other purposes, and that berths have been erected in the hold to the number of 93, and that the vontilation was perfectly inadequate, so much so that it was impossible formany passengers to remain below even in tho day time, and several, including: ladie3 and chilpren, had to sleep on deck. In case of rough weather there would scarcely be standing room below for the number of passengers, and even in the smooth soa since leaving Sydney tho ports had nover been opened. This petition waß signed by fifty steerage passengers. With reference to this complaint, Mr T. Henderson, local manager of the Union Steamship Company, informed us this morning that the steamer was nob overcrowded, and that tho complaints of a certain section of tho steerage passengers wore unreasonable. The accommodation for Btceraee passengers on tho steamer was good, and the Monowai had been quite as crowded before, in fact had had more passengers on board on previous occasions than on the present trip. The steerage berths in the 'tween decks were fitted up some time before the steamer left Sydney for Auckland, and all the steoruge passengers understood when thoy booked their passages where they were to be accommodated. All who were allotted berths in the steerage and in tho 'tween decks were informed of the location of their berths. The whole of tho 92 berths in the 'tween decks were nob occupied, and Mr Henderson and the captain and purser of the Monowai 3tate that there was no excessive overcrowding. The quarters which the steerage passengers complain of in the 'tween decks are about 9ft high between the lower and main decks, near the forebold, INSPECTION BY THE AUTHORITIES,

This forenoon an inspection of the Monowai's steerage quarters was made by the Collector of Customs accompanied by the Health Officer (Dr. Lewie), the Government Inspector of Machinery and Steamers (Mr Jobson), Mr T. Henderson (agent of U.S.S. Company), and Captain M. Carey. The Collector had considerable difficulty in getting the signers of tho petition to come forward and state their complaints. The party inspected tho accommodation in the 'tween decks, and the Collector came to the conclusion that the complaint as a whole was not borne out. The only complaint upheld was that concerning the ventilation. It was instructed that two more windsails should be put into use for ventilating the 'tween decks. The steamer's bunkers are lightened by 60 tons of coal por day, consumed by the vessel, and as the vessel reaches warmer latitudes tho lower tier of ports can be opened. It was decided that the sleeping and dining accommodation wa3 ample. Several other grounds of complaint wero considered untenable. Dr. Lewis was satisfied with the sanitary arrangements of the steerage quarters.