MARINE ENGINEERS' PAY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 148, 17 March 1908, Page 9

MARINE ENGINEERS' PAY.

I INCREASED BY THE UNION COMPANY. CONSIDERABLE SL'M INVOLVED. TITE "RISE" RETROSPECTIVE Thero'.are' other methads of bringing mastPr passively,together, to settle'a'differ;'once of opinion rover, wages -than by.-.lialing ; the 'parties ,Wbre">tfci! Arbitration Court;-,'At a;, conference, held; a','fortniglit ."ago; between tho Spcre'tarj" and - two 'delegates of. : stitute;, of.! Marine;'. Engineers '"and- Sir James': Mills'.(managing'<dircetor of tho Union. Company), tho; question of the payment of marine engineers '.was discussed, aftor;;, which' ,"an agreement,was drawn; up and has; since ;been' duly ratified by the Institute. •,

The: agreement means', a. substantial -increase; m : ;wßgPs'.' : all. round. .'./ Chief Engineers are.'.to/get;. from % £2l to '.£3O per..month, 'according . to theclass > of •- vessels : and .trade; second engineers, will receivo from £16: tor £20; ; third-engineers from l £14 to £16j,end fourth engineers from £12 to £18. -This represents approximately a 10 per cent: in-. . crease all round.'o Also.', tho' victualling- allow- 1 pance's' when. engineers .'are 1 awaiting, orders ashore havo been placed on a more liberal 1 • scale. . Sick pay; has ; been agreed ;to , for- all, engineers'mcapaeitated' through illfioss, Chief', and: second'i6ngineers.v.engaged in specially." 'strenuous !trftdesf have; bebn> promised) double, the present holiday-.leave, -~ Tho' rise, in wages' .takcs;placc:'as:ffom' : 'January; ; l ! ]ast.,; ■. ( • A better.arrangement forithe-payment: of., engineers '.Whose'--vessels: aro'laid up has been como" ; to'; ;frob jhas .been/'granted; to' 1 the wives and fanfflies of engineers' haying: to ichangpt'tho,'location. of .their homes; -and ;ohief ..engineers T on..-tho :irksome.,Wrellington-iPicton-Nolson service are to ,be, giveri-'a mea-, sure of ,rjl^in Il tH9 l^atte|'1 j0 J f J .turning out'on ■entering^ each.-port.V;.'.j r v; c .,^, r ■' •••" A'-NEW- MINIMUM' CREATED. - i The'-al)ovb ar!;angoment between tho Union Steam Ship Company , and - the ■marino-'.cn-. ginisersireachps.ifartbec.- tban ; -'appears;, on '.the . surfaco. l ' Tho " red .funnel'.'' company is'"tho dpminan(;..facto'r..in .these,waters, and itvis.in' its' power - .to,- c'reato, a . current wage; and the current' wa'go'.has -an ''important-bearing, when',taken,-in.conjunction .with.the Shipping: and " Seamen's, Act, '< 1903. ,'. . By wages - of ■ their! '•engirieers; tho .Company - has raised :the, "currant''.wages;; .which Vwill-'.mean.

that, all .other companies' trading' in : Now ;Zealand waters' will • have to pay • their./engineers current rates, or, in other words," the -wages ruling in ' the .Union Company Clause 75 of'tho Act-says:—. '

j! "/Nbtonthsta'ridingi 'ariykhirig.' in' ~,tliis M Act," it'. is'hereby declared'.that .where' a ' owner,; ; or.agent'of .Any ship,(a) . ongagea ' .seamen: hi /!New. ( Zea!ftncl;for -.'(b).-: l engaged -'them,;'abrbad,\:employs

< Ko*.''Zealand, 'thoso''seamen, w-liile so employed, isk'all<be paid, and mij ! recover- tlio current -rate of iragea' .for ■ v thStime : being, _ rilling . in New ; Zealand. i;

, "Seamen," an the i means any • person ■: employed or.-.: engaged in; 'any capacity.'on..board .any;ship;(excepfc.-masters,: pilots,- and duly indentured apprentices).