FORECASTLE FARE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 57, 6 March 1912, Page 9

FORECASTLE FARE.

TARAWERA'S SEAMEN" COMPLAIN. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) DUNEDEf, Tuesday. The steamer Tarawera was timed to leave Dunedin for Northern ports at three pjn. to-day, .but ahe did not get away till live pjn. The delay was, due to the firemen and seamen giving 24 hours' notice from Monday morning to discontinue work on the steamer, and the difficulty in getting men to fill their places. It appears that while the steamer was noming down the coast the crew found fault with the quality of the meat supplied to them, for which they blamed the ship's cook and butcher. It is not denied that the men had cause for complaint regarding the quality of the meat. On one occaeion Cfcptain McLean had the meat replaced by perfectly fre«h food, and promised that the men should not have further reason to complain. The firemen and sailors, however, demanded that the cook and butcher, or, at any rate, the l*tter, be taken off the steamer, and while the position stood thus unemployed sailors and firemen would not sign on that vessel. A conference was held between the men and representatives of the Union Company to-day, when -the former reiterated their demand. The difficulty was sotvad by ihe butcher resigning, and other men thereupon signified tAeir willingness, to join the steamer. Only two firemen and one trimmer out of the original crew were left on the vessel when she sailed.