THE SHIPPING TROUBLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 306, 27 December 1922, Page 4

THE SHIPPING TROUBLE.

QUESTION OF SAFETY.

CITr.AfJLENIGE TO MTNISTEB.

(By Telegraph— Special to "Star\.

WELLINGTON, this day.

Matters concerning the manning ot ships and suspension of the shipping laws were dealt with to-day by W. T. Young, general secretary of the Federated Seamen's Union, in ta» course of a reply made to a statement by the Minister of Marine with reference to a leaflet, entitled "Warning to i Travellers." Mr. Young makes somewhat sensational statements. He saysi iiakar alia, "With strongest possible inioxemce, no doubt carefully prepared for tap occasion, but by intended disregard of direct words, the statement of the Minister leaves the public with the impression that free labour now em* ployed on board ships is qualified and competent as required by law. I have to give the inferred pronouncement of the Minister a very emphatic contradiction, and, at the same time! declare in tho interest of those using .slugs, for transit purposes that 80 'per cent of the free labour is unqualified incompetents, incapable of launching or hulling a boat or raft in time of diuiter, or at any other time, and without knowledge of their stations in time of wreck or fire. In support of that I now challenge the Minister to muster tie crews of ships manned with free labour labourers before the 6uperintendent of Mercantile Marine, a representative of the shipowners and one of the Seamen's Federation, for an investigation of the qualification of each free labourer as required by law, and if my assertion be 5 per cent less than 80 per cent the seamen's organisation will forfeit £100 to the Wellington Public Hospital Having given the impression that ships are now manned with persons qualified in terms of sections surrendered, I haw to apply to the Minister for an answ«* to the "following simple questions:—(*• If you are satisfied that the crews of ships now in commission are quahlMa as required by the suspended sections, why do you continue suspension of the sections that require able seamen, firemen and greasers to have qualifications?; (b) if crews of such ships * r8 so qualified, will you explain why shipping corporations and others are still advertising to the "daily Press of the country for able-bodied men as seamen, firemen, trimmers and greasers, 'previous experience not absolutely essential'; (c) as 3000 qualified able seamen, firemen, trimmers and greasers, members of the seamen's orgajusatwn, are on holiday at various ports of >•* Zealand and Australia to my persona* knowledge, where did the legally qualified free labourers come from to man the said 70 ships now to commission' An early answer to the three questions will be looked forward to tffflill"* large number of the public. Also too Minister's acceptance of my cnalieng immediately."