WHOSE JOB?

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18525, 29 October 1925, Page 8

WHOSE JOB?

* DUTIES OF DONKEYMEN. £2OO PENALTY CLAIMED FROM UNION. •i'RF.SS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.' AUCKLAND, October 'JS. The trouble which has arisen over the duties of donkeynicn on coastal steamers was brought to the jurisdiction of! the Magistrate's Court, to-day. when the Labour Department (Mr C. A. Berendsen) claimed a penalty of £2OO from the Seamen's .Federation of New Zealand (Mr AV. T. Young) on a charge of having incited or instigated an unlawful strike. The Department further claimed £IOO penalties for alleged breach of award, and for haying taken proceedings with intent 1o defeat certain provisions in the award. The case was heard before Mr E. C. Cutten. B.M.

Owing to an objection by Mr Young. the hearing of similar charges against Charles Bertie Pittcs and himself was deferred until the conclusion of the main case.

Mr Berendsen said the case arose from a dispute over the duties of donfceyni.cn, and firemen performing the duties of donkeynicn. It had been customary for donkeynicn. to perform certain work in connexion with valves on shipboard. The award provided that when in port donkeynicn ov firemen k"epitig steam might be called on to work for any consecutive eight hours, and that those workers should look after the engines and auxiliaries. The Union circularised its members, advising them that the Executive Council had considered the matter of members working valves, and it had decided that men were no longer to work valves. Thus the Executive Council definitely advised members of the Union to ignore the provisions of the award. The workers on certain ships had ceased to operate valves, and some had gone further, and refused to do certain other work. Origin of Circular. William Thomas Young, general secretary of the Seamen's Federation, called by the prosecution, said he wrote the circular. The point was that the working of valves was dangerous. He suggested that the working of machinery appertaining to the engine department was not the business of an uncertificated man. The circular was intended to operate only in the engine department.

Charles Bertie Fittcs, general president of the Federation, was also called by the prosecution. He said the decision 1o issue a circular was made on the principle of the preservation of life and limb. • There was not the same danger with winches. Maurice .Patterson, assistant marine superintendent of the Northern Steamship Company, said that a man on the Clansman first refused to open the valves, or to touch machinery in tiie engine-room. The next ship affected was the "Waipu, and a definite order to open a certain valve was refused by two men. Practically all the ships were affected after that. He did not think there was any clanger in operating engine-room valves. There was practically no difference between the engine-room and the winch valves. Meaning of Terms. Cross-examined, witness said he took tlic words "looking after" in the award to mean "operation." He had never been authorised to tell the firemen to shut off and start again, but.it was n customary procedure. John Darling Douglas, formerly engineer of the GJenelg, said that two fire-men-greasers advised him they could not. carry out their customary duties.

In reply to Mr Young, witness said he took 'the words "looking after" to mean general attention on the part of firemen or donkcymen.

Alfred Sneyd, engineer of the Waipu, also gave evidence of the refusal of his firemen and greasers to work the valves. It was impossible for witness to do the whole of the work himself, and he refused to go to sea under those conditions. Ou a later occasion the men again refused, but the ship sailed, and witness worked flic valves. Mr Young: Have you received a citation from the Labour Department for a breach of Article 0* —jXo, I have not. Mr Young: It may I>e a pleasure in store for you.

Further evidence was given by tho engineers of the Rimu, Manaia, and Wakaterc regarding the refusal of men to do valve work. The men had performed all other duties except that the greasers had avoided answering the telegraph. ]t had been the general practice for donkeyriicii to do the valve work in ports, and greasing while at

sea. The case will be resumed to-morrow.