OFFICERS AND STEAM OWNERS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1272, 30 October 1911, Page 4

OFFICERS AND STEAM OWNERS.

THE AUCKLAND COMPACT. Auckland files to hand contain delailfl of the agreement which was arrived at on Friday in the dispute between tho Northern' Steamship Company awl tho Merchant Service Guild. The owners took tho initiative in tins matter, asking for the renewal of an expired agreement entered into with tho ofiicers some eishtoea months n?o, Tho new differs only slightly from the old. The principal concessions are: -Increases: Rarawa, chief officer from <'1G to .€l7, sworn! officer .£lll to .514; Ngapnhi, .CIS to .CIG; Waiotahi, .Clt to i'lo ; Daphne. ,t9 to Xl 3 per month. Holidays: Chief officers, four days extra per ■annum, second otlicors, 10 days total leave per anmini (new). The result of the conference in Auckland must lmve some bearing or. tho local dispute, which has laid up the "mosquito fleet." Pome of tho increase# mentioned mate the salaries payable ia Auckland higher than was the rule on any of the boats now out of commission, but all the Auckland steamers mentioned arc much larger vessels. It is worth notice that the Auckland agreement, which has been entered into for a term of three years, does not provide for overtime pay. This question of overtime is the main point o1 disagreement: between the Wellington owners and the Guild. The monthly wages in \\ellinstoti are for first ofiicers aim .I'll* for second officers, but: on one or two steamers on which the work of the lirst mate is especially arduous he is paid .116 ikt month. In addition to these rates the owners have offered to pay bonuses. The deadlock here hold-: still. The tentative offer to resume from seme of (ho otlice.us lias apparently been withdrawn, and things remain as they were.