ALL HANDS PAID OFF.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14564, 15 January 1913, Page 10

ALL HANDS PAID OFF.

ATTITUDE OF THE UNION

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.)

WELLINGTON, January 14

The advice given in the newspapers this morning to intending passengers to the West Coast has proved to be quite sound in every particular. Anyone who wishes now to reach the Coast must either travel via Christchurch or wait for the Arahura at the end of the week, for the Mapourika has been taken off the run, and is to b© laid up indefinitely. As forecasted by the secretary of the Seamen's Union, no men could be obtained to form the vessel's stokehold crew this morning, and tho Union Company was forced to pay off all th© other hands, as there was no chance of getting the ship to sea. It was ascertained in "the afternoon that tho Seamen's Union would not make any trouble or objection if the Union Company were to put another boat on th© run to replace the Mapourika. The secretary (Mr W. T. Young) said that the only objection was to tho heavy work imposed on the Mapourika's firemen on the existing staffing scale. If the company put on the Te Anau, or some other boat, it would get a crew all right. No trouble, he added, need bo anticipated in connection with the Arahura, which was regarded by tho men as a good ship. £>he carried six firemen, three trimmers, and threo greasers, on exactly the same running as the Mapourika, with her weaker stokehold crew. Tho company mado a great point about the Mapourika being at sea for only sixty-four hours per week, and being ono of tho best ships out of the port for local men. As a matter of fact, Mr Young said, local men would not go in her. What the company had been picking up lately in the shape of firemen were merely derelicts, who went into the vessel for a trip and left her as soon as ever they could. The Arahura was at sea for ten hours less per week than the Mapourika, and was a much better ship for local men. Tho whole matter was discussed at a n.cet.ng or tho Wellington beamen - Union, which passed the following resolution:— "Wncieas tho Aiapounkha,s become too heavy a ship for on l © fireman on watch, and whereas w© consider the health of our members is i.f more importance than profit, this Union recommends to its members and others not to seek employment on tho Mapourika till such time as tho Union Company agrees to tho reasonable proposal of the Union to engage an additional hand in tho stokeho.d department, which will cost them merely an additional £12 per month in wages and wiil result in overcoming the present difficulty. That a committee.of three, consisting of two of the men paid off the ship to-day and the secretary, be appointed to lay this resolution before the Wellington Branch Manager of tho Company, and d.scuss with him the advisability of giving effect to our proposal." In accordance with this resolution, said Mr Young, ho and th© two men interviewed Mr Kennedy and placed the matter beforo him. Mr Kennedy declared that the Company had mad© up its.mind not to mpye from its. decision. From what was said it was clear to the Union's representatives that th© Company had dealt with th© matter before tho Union had an opportunity of considering it, and before any arguments had been heard. Mr Kennedy, th© Wellington manager of the Union Steam Ship Company, informed a pressman that as in consequence of the attitude adopted by tho Seamen's Union, they could not get firemen for the Mapourika, ,they. had decided to lay her up indefinitely, and pay off all hands. This included tho stewards and seamen, who were in no way concerned with the firemen's trouble. In all, thirty-six men were paid off the vessel yesterday. "We hay© mad© no arrangements for replacing her in the runj" said Mr Kennedy in reply to a question. "No doubt th© Union would Hk© very much to sco us put another boat on, for they want,to get rid of the Mapourika, but w© do not look upon it in that light."