MARINE ENGINEERS AND THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3097, 30 May 1917, Page 7

MARINE ENGINEERS AND THE WAR

STATEMENT BY THE UNION S.S. CO. SHORTAGE OF CAPABLE , ' MEN At the sitting of the Third Military Service Board yesterday, Jlr. \V. fl. S. Miiorhouso presiding, the Union Steam Ship Company sought exemption, for a number ot marine engineers. Mr. AY. A. Kennedy, manager of tho local office, who appeared in support of the appeals, mado tbe following statement:— Wo have approached tho subject of the withdrawal ol engineers from our ships with a real, desire to meet as iar. us possible tho.endeavours of the Military Sen-ice' Uoard. to secure rccruita for tho .Reinforcements, but as the result of.tho fullest investigation by us of tho position, we ato forced to the conclusion that as there is no surplus of engineers in New Zealand, the, conscription of men occupying responsible positions as engineers on steamers will surely operato seriously against the interests of the Dominion as a- whole. ■ • .- Engineers Employed. Of 350 engineers in the company's service, 2'ia are in the 3?irst Division, §7 in the Second Division, and 38 wo over age. ) ' i ■ . With 'a vjew to replacing the I'irft Division mon called in the ballots, advertisements wore inserted iu all the prin,cipal papers of the Dominion, and in addition individual letters were addressed by ns to all engineers known to bo employed in shore occupations, inviting them to make application to us for erxtploymenf, with the result which might reasonably have been expected, seeing that the company has undertaken to keep open for those of its employees who go on active service the positions which they vacate in order to do so, and as. wo could- only offer temporary employment to tho men in shore'positions it is nothing but natural that they, having wives and families dependent upon-, them, would hesitate to throwi up the substance for the-shadow, i.e., give up vermanent appointments ashore for temporary employment at sea. Company's Requirements. The minimum number of engineers required to man the company's fleet, exclusive of two ves6ols in. the Imperial service,, in accordance with, tho Shipping and Seamen Act, is 289. Extra men required for efficiency and safety of those aboard, 38. ' Extra men for working margi.n (sickness, holidays, etc.), 23. Total, 350. Applications from engineers 'on shore or in shore appointments: Total :... 55 Unsuitable ;...., 28 Less withdrawn. 4, unable to find 1 5 Balance '. 22 , which, with 350, makes 372. Deduct men drawn, in ballots, less exemptions and less gone into camp, 53; leaving a. deficit o£ SI on total requirements, and the operation of the successive ballots will tend, of course, to- intensify this position, s. Assisting the Board, AVith. regard to "unsuitable" referred to in connection, with the applications received from men on shore, it is hardly necessary to repeat what I have already stated, that the company ia really anxious to assist the board in overy way possible, and did circumstances permit of a considerable number of, our men being relieved for active servioe, wo would nave been pleased to have taken immediate steps to release 'them. "We feel, however, that sea transport is sucli an important factor at the presont time that we. as a company aro not prepared to assume responsibility of vessels having to be withdrawn froin commission through our inability to secure a sufficient number of engineers—qualified in every way—to

maintain them. Tl. roust bo obviouo thai, it is incumbent upon us to make the most careful inquiry into all. applications received by lie, in view of the obligation which is upon us not to uxposo the lives of those on board the ships to unnecessary risk by the engagement.' of unsuitable porsons. The 22 probably suitable men referred to previously include the following, who may be mostly regarded us being employed in ossentinl industries:—Firo in Freezing works, two in Harbmiv Hoard dredges, one engineer of gold .mining company, one onginecr of .a !<,pp. and twine com pan ,r, one- of n. fish trawling company, and two on stcamcre othor than U.S.S. Co. Seven •.re in various occupations, as fitters, making a total of 1i), which, with SI an above, mates the deficit for working rerniiremonts up to 50. Robbing Peter to Pay Paul, If we tednco these men from their present epiployers the latter will donbl- - less retaliate by offering special inducements to some of our prccsonl employees to join them, which would only result in robbing .Peter to pay Paul, unless 'the board in its wisdom decides to place an embargo upon engineers leaving their employment on eloamors. In this conneetiou it may bo Tomnrked that thcro is a fcol ing amongst a considerable number of the engineo.'s in our service that they would prefer to enlist rather than bo drawn in tho ballot, and unices, therefore, some action is tnlcen by tho board to provent them leaving their i-hips we shall bo faced with a heavily increased shortage, apart from the men drawn in the ballots. Arc the Vessels Over-manned? It has. been suggested by the. board that our vessels aro over-manned, seeing that we have 38 men employed in oxcoss of the irreducible minimum provided by the- Act. It may bo taken for granted, however, that we do not employ men for tho sole- pleasure of peying them, and I tako it for granted also that tho board is not desirous of placing us in tho position of jeopardising the livea of those aboard our vessels , by reason of inofficiont or insufficient suporvisbn of tho machinery. In this connection it may 1» remarked that of tho 38 engineers carried in excess of tho requirements of the Aot eleven of out steamers employed as transports and hospital.ships arc respon- : sihlo for 2G, the balanco of 12 being disI tribwited. over vessels engaged in various trades. Those extra, men are absolutely necessary for tho efficient working of tho engine-room, as, apart from tho main engines, there ie a. vast amount of auxiliary machinery in modern ships whioli calls for tho employment of men not. provided for in the Fchedule to the Shipping 'and Seamen Act. . Service of Economic Value, ■All our vessels ara 'engaged in services of economic value to the Dominion, and therefore to the Empire. Norm of them are employed on pleasure or excursion trips. Some of the trades in which they aro employed are quite unromunerative to the company, but theso trades aro served by a few of our smaller vessels, and only a email number of men would bo liberated for service if tho vessels were withdrawn from their running, wliilo fho trades themselves are of substantial value to the districts which they servo.

Shippers and consignees throughout New Zealand would testify to the present insufficiency of tonnage, and if by reason of steamers having to bo with-

drawn owing to there not. being engineers to man thorn their difficulties would bo very materially increased. If tho board decides that, the necessity foy taking engineers from their stops for military service is paramount to. every other consideration, wo must, of course, accept the position as philosophically as possible, bu.t while we wonld endeavour to carry on to tho best of our ability, it is inevitable, in view of tho fact that of 350 engineers in tho service' 225 are in tho First "Division, and that fo few aro available +o replace thnae drawn in the ballots, that, the ships will under such circumstances sooner or Inter

liiivo to he withdrawn from commission owing to tho lack of wifrintors In : run thf-m. with con&ofiiu-ntin! detrimental result, to tho public interests; of vlio Dominion, and the responsiuility of this position must', as I havn previously stated, rest with tlie board. Till , . Jtaclc (ft member of tho board): 1 have no hesitation iu sftyinft that, if evfivy oHgibl« man in ronr pervicr ttoto taVc'n out of your snips they wo\iU not slop running.. ; . . Examination of Witness. The chairman: We quite recognise that business is an essential one. Wo had. tho information that-ihore worn a number of marine engineers ashore, and w<> considered it our duty to get these men intocssential wort , . '

Captain Baldwin: Ton say, Mr. Kennedy, that your company wishes lo help the Military' Service Board. Is it not to the interest of the company to win (ho war? There is a, feeling abroad that.this Military Servico Board is doing something that the. omployers should ondna.voiir to overcome, and thischonld bo dispelled. Wβ want fo win thn war, and to occasion'tho least hardship.

Mr. Kennedy: Wo want to help win Hie war. Mr. Mack ha.s stated that there, were 250 engineers a-shoro in WotHnslon, but we have not. been able to find them. I suggest seriously thnt Mr. Mack should aive evidence of whoro these men are to bo found. Wp cannot find them. Wo bave advertised and written to individuals, but wo have only had 53 applications. •

■ Air. Mack: T3ut. you have rejected many of them. You "emphasise that the. appointments are only temporary. "Does it not occur lo you that .torao <jt your men who go; to the front, may bo killed oi , disabled, and it. may b« necessary k> retain sorno of these temporary men permanently ? Mr. Kennedy: Yes? Captain Baldwin: Has your company considered tho question of higher .remuneration for temporary mon? That courno is being followed in the public Departments of the Government, and it. is being loyally accepted by the ■permanent men. Suroly your engineers would agree to that?- It is -worthy trying. Mr. Kennedy: Oh, quite Tlin least pay that an engineer receives with us, whatever his rating may be, is .£l3 t6s.;| per month with his keep, and it high as • JE39 2s. A large number of engineers ashore are occupying positions as surveyors for the Government. Soma of thorn haro grown old, and it is not. to be expected that these mcu would throw up their positions for tho temporary positions wo can off or. them. Captain. Baldwin: Supposing your company offered a bonus in. tho caso of l»o temporary men, tho bonus, to bo an inducement? Tbo board knows there aro 'men about, aud the question is ono of inducement to fiet them to go into this essential service. Mr. Kennedy: We are not putting up si fractious opposition in respect to our engineers. ' Tho chairman: AVe want lo get down to I lie bedrock of affairs. Captain Baldwin: Can you give 113 n list'of the 22 men now unoccupied in your service that you win spare, placing (hem in order? Mr. Kennedy: Yes, I will Iry lo 110 that by to-morroiv. Mr. Wallace, secretary of the Airalwtoated Engineers' Society, was also called (0 g!TC evidence as lo the men available ashore. The niarino engineers on whoso liohim appoHlswero lodged worn: Colin c lovciison Macfarlane, David M'C.iiff. Charles 'Pni--jruson, Charles de l.acy Cameron Clcar.v, .John James Kettle, George William Davis, Andrew Langmnir Smith, Williiiin Cameron Ferguson, John Wallace Weir, William Charles Falconer. .1. W. O. filler, Francis Herbert M'Afastnv. William Wallace U'Gregor, and John .loseph Flaherty.

'I'he board roserverf if- , ! derision in rcspoct lo all t.lio abovp appeals. Willi regard- lo tho appeals nn bolinlf of Horiry Alexander TCilson and Frederick Alexander Anderson, offioers in the employ of Ihe Union S.S. Corapauy, f.lio appeals irero adjourned fiino die, provided appellants continue in (heir present occupation.