S.S, MAORI'S MEN.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1587, 2 November 1912, Page 6

S.S, MAORI'S MEN.

• —■ ■■» -'■■" ', -■-; .V; .;:■■/!'. THOSE FIREMEN. ~ .' :'•' ' ' ;."".•;■'■'?■■'' CAPTAIN ALfeW^VS;STA ; TEUEJ?T,^ While the Maori was : cit.Wellington.. yesterday. Captain AldweUi.her master,, was askod to make a;, statement conwrn-" ing' the recent' charges-of ■' and misconduct, hy--certain'., firemen /.em: :■■'. ployed: 6a Ixiard-.thV,vessel./:.;■'-':■■ ■:'-:,■■ ".>'' In reply, Captain Aldwell ; . stated that the chargVj, as published :ih'.tbel'Christ-y . churoh 'Tress/' .'-were- substantially ..■cor-.': :rect. .■ It -.- pupations,-were,, mado: against the' whole ... of the firemen employed.on'the. vessel;. As v . a matter o'f'factj there are:among the 27' ..■ ■firemen, and trimmerß. employed qi, ; the: ■■ .Maori, -a number '.who;: 'were ■. above',' - r£.,. projioh, ahd s men'''.whb : 'eoald'. be / .relied .' .ur»n''te'':d6Vtheir;'wbrk,;well,\and against-,:. ■ wnom '.'.the' <;hargesVof?.'druhkennc6Si' ■ '■„. : misoonduct..could '-not,, be; laid.:.. Oh . the ■;. ' .other .hand there "were 'sdme'-whose ;con-j , : duct was badi "and "Captain • Aid well ;.cherr' ■ :aQteTiscd them Vis''nuisances.'':, '■ ■ 'Captain. ■:Aldwell;. ■also.'-, referred • '.to ■' the- ; ■action... of tb,b ; .men.: : in. demanding' two '::' ..days' pay .o.ii ''Ocrober'''2s,..particalar«''of:, which, hare.already: appeared. .'"■■■-.■"■;■ ''":);, ■? ,It was 'also;6tated'that since ah amend-■ ',; raent to.; the'..Seamen' and' Shipping' Act :..■: hM been.enforced,. by which it was'made;'; illegal.for anyone except 'the..owners at: ■. ' ; or' . othbrofficers;' to:,engiige' men,*.* represen-;;'-- . ; we11..tn:;,., :fouch : with -'the- various, classes of' men,' ■ did this kihd':''of...'w6rk.v Under.the .''old ;, 'conditions, better .men'.'were ■obtained, be- ■ .: 'ca'u'se-'.the '■.expert',.;k'new the.,.,.applicants ... ■■ much, better..than', the officers.' ;•::■ '•■'. Aldwell: also stated, that,- <m < . ■ .Monday ■ to, coins from Pictbri to; Wellington than ; ■' ■ should-have' beea-ihe.case, oh account'pf ■the. conduct ,of some'., of'the men in. tha/i ' stokehold. In such a._place as the 'en-.. ■■ .''trance to-:'T6ry-Channel it .was essential;,; ■' : that all the steam.available should be got ;. ontof-'tneboilcrs;-Instead of this the en- ■-. gines-were doing 50: revolutions short of .their qnlinar'y.>p'eed.oflSO perniinute.;...,, and Steady. ■'~.'. ■" Speaking"' of .'the 'deck .hands,' Captain..-''.. '■Aldwell-remarked., they-'were; a. steady,,.:. ..respectable,, capable.-set.of ..men, and;gav».:;• ~'no'-:jta)nUej-: / ■;■"-■■ ■.-,::, ;-.':, \'-Vl' ?; : '■■Freparlnti -; .a-,. Complete'', Refutation?*;.;.' " .When.Mr.\W;. : T;VYOT^ 'the': Seamen's'.Union', ;wes ..seen .'yesterday,.--. he-stated:'that T h'e had 'made .inquiries;.,i*j-. ; earding- thb'conduct: complained of/-ana.;; - 'as-'a :: result'.,hevas. preparing: a complete.-;. retutation.-v'of-,:■ them,, .which , /dement - ■;, ■: completed; .be. handed w. the-,; . .pressor publication. ,- . Young said that,a Rcod deal of difficulty -. had." been; experienced'''ltt ; ; preventing; the - crew .frbm.''!,tving up.;the;ship-as a nro-; ■test: ■ against {he.' mannerun which Jhe*. ■ have been -maligned'.by .the.newspapers.--.-