MARINE OFFICERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 193, 16 August 1922, Page 8

MARINE OFFICERS.

j CASK BEFORE TIIK COURT. tlS.v Telegraph.— Tress Association) WELLINGTON', Tuesday. J Tbe Arbitration Court continued today the hearing of the dispute connected with the shipping industry. The case in \ point wart that of masters and officers, ■ nnd application for an award was made by I'nion Company. A number of I clause* bad hoen settled in the Conciliaj tion Council, nnd questions of wages, j hours, and a number of the guild's J counterproposal:; had been referred to I the Court for settlement. Mr. W. CI. ! Smith (for the I'nion Company) occupied j the morning etating the case for the J company. I Mr. Smith said that the employers j were asking for a 20 p\>r cent reduction Jon the ratet* fixed by the 10t0 agreement. 1 with C 2 added. The wages on t'nited I Kingdom vessels, from which the company had now to face keen competition, had been reduced by amounts from O 10/ for finst oflicers to t~ a month | for fourth inatvs. On United Kingdom: vessels practically no overtime was paid.l and on United States vessels no over- t time at all. The guild was asking for a.\ continuation of the KM!) agreement, with ! a C 2 hoiufe added. In regard to hours, the employers vvre ; asking for a reliirn to the oU hour week. Owing to the nature of the shipping busir.°ss it was absolutely necessary to have as much elasticity as possible in regard to working hoiire. They offered the very I strongest objection to'tbe guild's claim i for fixed hours and overtime for masters. I The principle of givi:iy overtime to men j in positions of trust was thoroughly bad. [ Mr. Smith urged strongly again' that I Australian awards should not be accepted as a guidw for Xew Zealand, as I the conditions here were different. Aus- i tralian ships were fully protected uiuk-r | the Navigation Act, whereas New Zea- 1 land ships were competing in the world •' markvt. Kvidenee on the points nt issue win heard. It wns stated that things went better on ships when there was no lixed ' .->ii-lmur ttvek. The hearing was adjourned.