FIRES ON SHIPS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 238, 1 July 1908, Page 8

FIRES ON SHIPS.

A SUGGESTION FOR STEVEDORES. THE MATCH ..THEORY. The " match " theory as to the cause of the recent mysterious outbreaks .of fire on ships carrying wool.and flax cargoes probably inspired Captain Evans, dent: at Wellington for the: Shaw,- Savill and Albion Company, to forward tp the Conference or a.terside Workers' delegates at pre? sent sitting at Wellington, a.suggestion that provision might be made for the. supply of wootlen coat cupboards, fitted with hooks, tor the convenience of the men engaged in loading operations on the vessels m port; lhe cupboards would-be large enough to hold, '.say,, 30 coats, and might be-kept, on the wharf, or in the sheds wheirnot in iiso, and placed on deck, on the off-side of tho hatch during loading. He drew attention .to the somewhat remarkable fact that such fires s-s had been experienced recently were far less ■ common in vessels which had been loaded in Australia.

■\r f s r "£Sestion was received with hostility. .Air; A. L. Jones (Wellingtons considered that tlio letter was practically an insult to\tho cargo workers,- -who were second to none. Men coming up from a heated hold into'the cold air or a southerly to look for their coats would be exposed to dangerous chills - Ho did not agree with-tho writer's assertion as to Australian loaded.ships. •?f r W G " ,? arl . an d-f suggested a conference witli-thp. shipping companies. Sheds might bo provided for clothes to-be kept under the care of the Harbour Board.- Lockers of tho kmd suggested by Captain' Evans were not desirable ;■ vermin i might- infest the clothes;, tor some-of the cargo labourers employed during the busy, summer-season were not altogether desirable, as got from all parts of the countrv.

Mr. Harvey took exception to the last Statement, and said that the average carn*o worker was not to bo included in Mr. Farlaud s description. Sheds for clothes would not suit Westport. Mr. Farland replied that cases such as hel had referred to bad come under , his personal observation. Mr. Voyce (Lyttelton) held that. the workers were careful; men. He had seen men' in responsible positions smoking in the holds. Ho ridiculed the. match theory. The secretary (Mr., D. M'Laren) suggested a reference to the' Unions/ ' '- .

. Several, other-speakers traversed the foregoing remarks: -

Mr. E. Kelly (Wellington). was in favour of an arrangement with.the employers. The. difference in climate/and the flax cargoes stowed in New Zealand ports, might account for Captain Evans's statement-as to Australian loaded ships.'. . ■ V . • .' , Mr. Farland- was of . opinion that the strongest federation of employers .in' the world .could not; prevent men from working in their'clothes in wet'weather. . The advantage of having ; proper sheds'was that tho coats, of. the men would not- be liable to be bloiyn down and trampled upon by passing traffic, and if well',lighted the sheds could easily bo kept clean. ■ The Chairman said' that the Shipping .Company, .and. the stevedoring firm of Gamiaway and Co. had suggested that the coats be left on deck.

' After further'discussion," the following motion, by Mr. Jones; was• carried,- the delegates' from Auckland, L.vtteltoii, .and. Westport supporting: "That-tho question of compelling, men- to leave .their, clothos 1 on deck or in'any specified place,'is an- insult to their, integrity, and such a system would tend' to mako : employers' totally carelesd abdut the health- of those . employed." •