HAPOURIKA AGAIN DELAYED.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 304, 20 December 1912, Page 5

HAPOURIKA AGAIN DELAYED.

HELD UP AT -TELSOIf. PERISHABLE CARGO ____r__?PED. \By Tele_rap_.—Press __socl_tlo_) NELSON, Thursday. The Union Company's steamer Mapourika. which left Wellington at midnight last night after a prolonged delay at Wellington wharf in connection with the demands of the stokehold crew, had her running further dislocated this afternoon, trouble from the same source being responsible for her being held up at the last minute prior to sailing. At 3 o'clock, the scheduled time for sailing, the aft moorings had been taken o_ and the pilot was in charge when the firemen and trimmers left the stokehole and went to the bridge, informing th< captain that they would not stoke th« vessel until another tireman had been ob tamed. It appears that one of their nam ber had come on board under the influence of drink and refused on any account tc work. The stokehold crew consisted o: three firemen and three trimmers, thin providing a fireman and a trimmer foi each watch. The men contended that th< absence of the malcontent made work tot severe, hence the demand for a new fire man. In the meantime the vessel hai been re-moored. The captain and the local manager o the Lnicn Company conferred with thi men. A further difficulty presented itsel inasmuch as there was not a fireman witl a ticket to be found in Nelson, and th. services of another trimmer were refused Xo agreement was arrived at. The sail ing of the vessel with a large number c passengers for the West Coast was pu off till 10 o'clock to-morrow. The Pukaki which sailed later, took all the perishabl. cargo.