THE POSITION LOCALLY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 54, 4 March 1913, Page 5

THE POSITION LOCALLY.

Inquiries made aboard the Union Company's boats now in port-elicited the information that no intimation had been received from Wellington headquarters •by the engineers regarding .the threatened ftirike. It is understood that the negotiations between the Institute of Marine Engineers and the company are still in process. None of -the engineers on the company's vc-esete now at Auckland hare, co fnr as can be ascertained, given notice that they intend to quit work.

Mr S. D. Hanna, the secretary of the local branch of the institute, is at preeent on his way to AVellington on private bui?inee.=.

In view of the present preition the remarks made by Mr A. R. Hielop. who resigned from the secretaryship of the institute some eighteen months ago, aro interesting, as showing the change of feeling that hae taken place among the marine engineers as regards their condition*. Mr H.ielop, as reported at the time, ma.de the following remarks: ""I have never met a finer eet of men than tile employers of engineers in the. Dominion. The wages of engineers trading on the ooast at one time averaged £16 a month, while to-day the min-inrum k £21 a month for firet engineers, and other grades are paid in proportion. The engineers of New Zealand are in a fair position. In addition to receiving good ra.tes of wajres, they have privileges eiic'i a« fii-k pay and annual leave not enjoyed by the .profession elsewhere. A? a matter of fact, engineers in regard tn pay and conditions of work are to the forefront of the Empire. They are a gocrl 10 per cent (with one or" two ex-c-eptior.s) ahead of any other place in the British pcff-sresions. Included In the>membership of the institute arc all the principal employers of engineers in New Zealand. We stand in the unique position that we are the only society where employers and employees are banded together for the good of all."