COASTAL SHIPS DELAYED

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29292, 25 August 1960, Page 16

COASTAL SHIPS DELAYED

Calls For Crew Ignored

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, August 24.

Although a man was specially flown from Christchurch yesterday to get the coastal vessel Breeze away at 9 o’clock last night, seamen * from the ship went ashore, with the result that the ship was unable to leave Wellington until this afternoon. The Breeze has been held up at Wellington for several days, and repeated efforts were made to obtain a replacement, but noone would stand at the Government shipping offices. Another vessel, the Squall, belonging to the same company, which had also tried without success to obtain a replacement, signed on a man this morning. Today, however, the secretary of the Seamen’s Union (Mr H. D. Macleod) made the call for the Squall. The Canterbury Shipping Company has declined to discuss the delays in getting seamen for their ships. Seamen have not stood for jobs for periods of up to three days. All the company’s four ships, the Gale, Calm. Squall and Breeze, have been delayed because of shortages of crew.

The Breeze, after 10 days at Wellington, five of which were spent in idleness waiting on a replacement for one seaman, eventually sailed at 1.30 p.m. for Timaru.

The Squall is now fully manned and is expected to leave tomorrow for Bluff.