SEAMEN AND THE ARBITRATION ACT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 87, 11 April 1906, Page 8

SEAMEN AND THE ARBITRATION ACT.

.'-.'" , :; (To the Editor.) -,- ; -..-'.. Sir, —I've just, read your article in Saturday's issue of the "Star," re seamen and the Arbitration Court award recently published; and, with your leave, I would like to make a.few remarks upon what Air. Mr G. McGregor, of the Settlers' Co./has to say oh Jhe matter. He tells us that the vessels under consideration ara hot required by law to carry firemen, which, of course, is true; and he infers that the largehearted shipowner just wants to make a nice job for his engineer, and so puts a fireman in the vessel.. The fact is, necessity compels them to pufe a fireman aboard, or he certainly would not:be carried. :•-'"' - These vessels are running,from ten,to fourteen hours a day; steam has to be kept for loading cargo and pxitting it out, coaling, and so on. The engine has to be kept in repair, things in general must be kept clean, and it is therefore impossible for an engineer to do it all by himself, so lie gets a fireman to help. Now, 1 would ask is it safe, in the interests of the travelling public, that boys should be allowed to assume the responsibility entailed in running the propelling engine aboard of any steamer, for it is obvious that the engineer cannot be on duty all the time. If the travelling public only knew of the risk j they run at times, they would think twice before they went aboard of some of the steamers being run by these five pounds a month men. Capable men cannot be got for that wage. If an engine requires a qualified man to attend it, then such a person ought to be there, and not a boy or something worse in the shape of a man. Mr. McGregor is, I fear, trying to convey a wrong impression when he speaks about the work being child's play, etc., when compared with big steamers. Firemen on large vessels do their eight hours' shoveling coal and are finished, but the poor unfortunates in many of our small coastal and river boats have to work at all hours, not only shoveling coal, but stopping, starting, greasing, and generally attending to the engines, and any of the firemen will verify what. I say. The same system is in operation on the Wairoa River. The vessels run six days a week, and repairs, adjusting, etc., are carried out after the day's running is over, or on Sunday. Then, again, as to "raw youths gaining sufficient experience in a week to do the work required of them." Well! Mr. McGregor should know better than that. In conclusion, Mr. Editor, might I suggest that you send a reporter np this way to collect some more views on the subject that will surely interest your numerous readers. X am, etc., April 5. KAIPARA.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—Will you kindly permit mc to occupy a few lines of your valuable space to answer Mr J. K. Kneen's effusion in your last issue under the above heading. He talks of the "gross injustice" inflicted on the seamen of the colony by the recent award of the Arbitration Court. The alleged gross injustice consists of the majority of the Court being of opinion that there was no alteration in the conditions of the seamen's employment t« warrant any material alteration in the terms of the award made in August, 1902, and the Court in making the new award practically adopted the same terms as the Court did in 1902. The Court, however, decided to adopt a new rating for firemen for small steamers Tunning within the extended river limits in consequence of the facts which came beI fore the Court in the cases against the ! Northern Union Steamboat Company, the Coastal Steamship Company, and the McGregor Steamship Company, and ion the hearing of the dispute. The Seamen's Union are attempting to create an agitation over this portion of the award. The necessity for some such provision for these small steamers is manifest to any rightthinking person. Under the old award the Seamen's Union insisted on the owners of these small steamers paying to the youths who assisted the engineer the same wages as were payable to the firemen on the largest i steamer of the Union Company. Take, for instance, the s.s. Orewa, running to the Wade. The trip occupies about four hours and the steamer consumes less than half a ton of coal on the run. i This is usually the extent of her day's ! run, and she is in port every night and all day Sunday. A fireman on a ! steamer of the Union Company would shovel as much coal iv a day as these j youths have to do iv a 'week, and ' whilst there is skill required in firing a large steamer there is practically none required on these small steamers. Mr Kneen twits mc with displaying strange ignorance on the question of the Kapanui's indicated horse-power, a point which he says I should be fully acquainted with. The display of ignorance, I am happy to state, is as usual entirely on Mr Kneen's side and not mine. The indicated horse-power of the Kapanui is 224 and not 160, as Mr Kneen states, so that I am perfectly right iv stating that the newrating does not apply to the s.s. Kapanui. In conclusion, let -we say that, as a body, the seamen of this port are well satisfied with the existing conditions, and arc well treated .by the owners of the small steamers trading within. extended river limits, and it is a pity that Mr Kneen and those associated with him attempt to stir up an agitation and strife where no grievance exists. What sympathy would be extended to an employer who squealed because the Arbitration Court did not give him all he asked for?—• I am, etc., M. G. McGREGOR. Auckland, April 9.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —You would oblige mc by granting mc a little space in re the Seaman's Award, of which we are hearing so much. It seems to mc a ridiculous state of things that judges and lawyers (whether steamship directors or not) can lay down such hard and fast rales as to the wage 9 a man is worth in a steamer's engine room. Mr. McGregor recently stated that any child or steward could go and do a fireman's work on the river limit boats running out of Auckland. The question arises at once, Could he do it? No doubt he would find out that the engines are straight in front of the boiler, and possibly would consider that all that has to be done was to shovel on a bit of coal and turn round and pull a handle and the figure would work. I daresay that most of Mr. McGregor's enginedrivers are men that have, risen from the fireman ranks by hard work and study, and have passed the necessary examinations, and suit such-vessels as the Settlers' Steamboat Company run, on account of the lower rate of wages paid. We are, I am certain, by fostering thig boy business and "paying a whole. ■£ 5 per month wages, oreating nothing more nor' less

than a. stock of;incompetents. It, is.no use anyone telling!us :sbAtiJtbje engineer! is on watch all" the timet or even. supposed .to be, jiecause we r all know- that a j man must eat, drink and : sleep, and who j is- in chargewhile the, Engineer sleeps? Probably the cook or the boy! As- a. matter of' fact, haying been there, I know whati"l~ am writing about.-" The boy or fireman simply has to ■' take his '. watch the same' .as. the rest single-! handed. \ Another thing I notice in Mr; ■ McGregor's statement, is:: thafr' there is not nearly so. much to do on the small i boats as the large ones. Well,: I will agree with him in this,'there is not quite so much coal to heave; but there are . longer hours,; engines to grease, steam to keep up, and all the numerous duties |of an engiriedriver to perform; whereas a fireman oh a larger boat attends to t IMs fires and ashes during his watch, and 'does not go near the engine-room afterIt is surely a scandalous state lof things, after the expert evidence 'taken and the recommendations made by the various juries in connection with the recent collision in our harbour, that the time and money of both union and colony should .be wasted to- such an extent by the Arbitration Court in building up such a rotten system to the pecuniary advantage,of one or "two minor steamboat companies and to the detriment of the travelling public—l am, etc., ~~ : W.J.G.

THE GAELIC LEAGUE.

(To the Editor.*

Sir, —Since its' establishment the Gaelic League has been instrumental in uniting all classes of Irishmen. In a recent speech, the president, Dr. Douglas Hyde, speaks thus: "We are above and beyond all politics, all parties, all factions, offending nobody but the antiIrishman. We stand upon the bed-rock doctrine of true Irish nationhood, an Ireland, self-centred, self-sufficient, self-reliant, speaking its own language, thinking its own thoughts, writing its' own books, singing its own songs, play* ing its own games, wearing its own coats, and. going for nothing outside of the four shores of Ireland that can be produced within." The aim* of the League being "to make Irishmen as they existed previous to the Battle of the Boyne, it has restored and placed upon a firm basis the language best suited to the natural genius, and best calculated to preserve the traditions and idiosyncrasies of the Irish nation, and it has broken down the walls of sectarian bitterness that for centuries have stood like grim sentinels guard over Erin. From the Barm to the Blackwater, from the Liffey to the Shannon, both orange and green are united once more. But a few years ago, and only a few Irish "books could be had anywhere. Today the publications from the offices of the League in Dublin number 250,000 books, and this exclusive of what the booksellers dispose of. The Irish language is taught in the schools, and from the National Press all the old customs, plays, and songs are revived in the new National Theatre. Even the , streets, roads, and vehicles have all Irish nomenclatures.—l am, etc., ERLN-GO-BRAGH.

SAILORS ON HORSEBACK.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—The spectacle of the equestrians I who accompanied the naval turnout on the Way* to the Domain on Saturday last i was alike grotesque, funny and amusing. bicycle or riding tandem, Jack ashore makes "a-'faifly good exhi-' bition; but, alae! on horseback, whether from the unaccustomed expansion of his legs, the lack of equilibrium or unusual excitement and elation at commanding the attention and admiration of pedestrians, it is evident he cuts an interesting but sympathetic figure. In witnessing the frolicsome procession on Saturday, I called to remembrance a similar event, hut on a larger scale, that took place in Melbourne during a visit I made about a dozen or fifteen years since. On the arrival of two or three warships belonging to the British fleet a large number of bluejackets and marines were granted the usual spell on shore. A batch of ten gay young sparks possessing sufficient pocket-money decided on having a lively old time by hiring a hack apiece for a few hours' racing expedition inland. It so happened that the livery stable keeper had only nine mounts available. To simplify matters one young buck of the party suggested riding behind, and as quick as thought sprang aloft without further parley, but instead of holding on to his companion he turned back to back, thus overlooking the horse's tail. The horse, however, being unaccustomed to such practical jokes and the extra weight, soon became restive. On turning into Burkestreet it Jagged behind the cavalcade and commenced to cut capers, creating some alarm and excitement amongst the crowd of people on the footpath, on which the horse with its two headstrong riders had backed. One jocular spectator called out requesting them to keep on the road, which he thought was wide enough. The sailor in front replied, " All right boss, it's nob my fault; just speak to the man at the helm." •

I feel confident every Britisher (girls included) takes great pride in our brave nien-o'-war's-men and noble defenders. Beneath their jolly, merry and disciplined demeanour we know there lurks the British bulldog—the bravest of the brave, whose ancestors have fought and won for us and dear old England the pre-eminent position now enjoyed by our race, and when occasions arise, as they surely will, for future naval battles, our lads and officers will ever be ready as of old to gain and maintain British naval supremacy. I would like in conclusion to surest to our citizens, both public and private, that additional attention and courtesy be paid from time to time to our jolly tars—a sturdy, orderly and well-behaved lot of young fellows, whose parents at Home eagerly scan the newspapers and letters for news of the various crews and -their doings. It was.-very commendable on the part of our worthy Mayor,-Mr.. A. Myers, to offer to provide an entertainment for a few hundred of them at the Opera- House. This is a step in the right direction: Another act of courtesy or favour could easily be made by presenting parcels of magazines or books that could easily be selected from overcrowded cupboards or bookshelves. In presenting a few dozen magazines and illustrated papers a few weeks since to one of the petty officers belonging to H.M.S. Powerful I was assured that such gifts were highly appreciated and valued by the men during the long intervals and spare hours at sea. .. V . Whilst these brave defenders ,:'of ■our coasts conduce, to" the maintenance "of. Great Britain's prestige and advancement (under the wise , paternal Home Government,'whether Conservative or Liberal), we can* continue: to enjoy the fruits of peace and prosperity, and look.

forward to a further steady develop- j this happy ,:. v _ ~,. j < Then. -Hurrah!- lor Jack, may he never -. -lack .''■''■' ii ; " ■■- i -'A friend in. our world-Wide. stations, <:_ [For he carries our fame and maintains our f-i- -name-' .'"_ ' • •'.-'■ Amongst -less. favoured nations.. ■ -.- I am, etc., R. BURROW.

CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE.

"F.H;H." will be pleased if you will allow mc sufficient space in your valuable paper to draw the - attention .of the Coiuicillors of Devonport >to the ; disgraceful state of High-street. This street has been in a most neglected state for ; some considerable time, and at .the.present time it is absolutely impossible -to drive through it -with safety. All last winter it was like a river bed.