OVERSEAS STEAMER HELD UP

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 184, 2 May 1929, Page 6

OVERSEAS STEAMER HELD UP

TROUBLE WITH ARAB FIREMEN Dominion Special Service. Auckland, May 1. Nine Arab firemen on the Hain Line steamer Tregeuua left the vessel at Auckland this morning because the captain refused to employ an extra two men in the stokehold. The vessel was about to sail for New* Plymouth, but owing to the men’s action she was taken to an anchorage in the stream instead. The absence of the stokers was reported to the wharf police, who apprehended three of the men near the waterfront and put them on board the steamer shortly before mid-day. The other six absentees could not be found, so warrants were taken out for their arrest. To-night the whereabouts of the missing men had not been located, so the vessel is still delayed. The Tregcnna reached Auckland from Nauru Island late on Sunday night with a full cargo of phosphates. She unloaded 2975 tons at the King’s Wharf and is to discharge the remainder at New Plymouth and Wanganui. The stokehold staff consists of ten men. They contend that the work at sea is too hard and that two more should be employed. The dispute was referred to the Marine Department, but the local superintendent of mercantile marine will not interfere in the matter because the steamer is fully manned according to the Board of Trade scale. The men’s action in deserting is a costly way of protesting, because they are liable to have to pay all costs in connection with their apprehension out of any wages they may have due to them. Tn the meantime it is not certain when the steamer will be able to sail-