THE SEAMEN'S STRIKE.

Evening Post, Volume XXI, Issue 12, 15 January 1881, Page 4

THE SEAMEN'S STRIKE.

+ tO THE EDITOR OP THE EVENING POST. Silt— Regarding the strike of seamen ; tho only demand mado now is for 8 hours in safe ports. There can be no reason why seamen Bhould be worked 16 or 20 hours in order that shipowners may make money ont of nigger-driving, even though the niggers may be white-skinned. With regard io the hours now in vogue, I anne* a list, showing that tho common working hours aTe 16. I give aames of the men and ships, which you are quite at liberty to publish, and I should be #lad if- you could find room so to do. I have only sent specimen cases, which I coald, if needed, multiply ad injmitum. Another matter which should be noticed ia that by the law of New Zealand, shipowners can, if they like, Bend passenger ships to sea manned by shore hands, it is not imperative to engage seamen at all, and thus a passenger's life, to say nothing of freujht. may be endangered by shipowners' greed. It is no answer to urge self interest, or that the insurance companies would prevent this ; at this moment ships are at sea without any proper skilled crew, and it is threatened by the Union Company that all their ships shall be worked by shore hands rather than concede fair working hours whilst in port to seamen. Moreover, there is here no law that seamen should produce documentary or other evidence of competency ; now, sseing that neither self interest nor insurance companies look after matters so important, it ia high time that some legislation takes plaoe in the matter certainly With regard to passenger ships. Another source of danger to Bhips, brought on through over work, is this, after working 14 or 15 hours, men are in no condition for either look-out or wheel work, and are liable to go* to sleep from sheer weariness and being thoroughly worn out, and, as a matter of fact, this does happen, and may explain otherwise inexplainable saipwreoks. Theß»ngatira,afterworkinghercrew for sixteen hours, wanted to work them for four or five more, and, because they refnsed, the whole of them were sacked ; and, by a curious coincidence, in her next trip she went chock-a-block on to a reef.. This may he only a coincidence, but so it was. Again, the Manvwatu used to be about two and a-half hours longer on her trip than the Huia, but the hitter vessel was beaten by the former by three hours on her hist trip ; but then, by another coincidence, the Huia was manned by a scratch crew. Now, all these things took place in very fine weather. What would be the result with such crows in stormy weather and a crowd of passengers ? Who can tell ? And all this extra needless danger is incurred for what? Why, in order that the owners may screw an extra percentage out of men by nigger-driving. Say the owners, we don't make sufficient profit to afford to give fair hours of work. Well, if the present exorbitant fores and freight do not enable a good profit to be made, they ought. Show any other country that pays_ such, enormous passenger fares ? I doubt if it is possible ; and yet the owners say they can't afford fair working hours in port, only mark you, that being the only place where sailors can hope for a little relaxation. I could continue this .subject, but must not trespass too much on your space at once. I am, &0., C. Hbndbet, Secretary Seamen's' Union. List of names and hours of working, and names of ships : — J. Dillon, from 6 a.m. to 1.30 p.m., Stella ; Stowe, from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., Go-Ahead ; Glennie, 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., Kiwi ; Harry Phillips, 4 a.m. to 8 p.m., GoAhead ; Skillon, 4 a.m. to 9 p.m^ Tui ; Glennie and crew, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Rangatira; J. Brazlin, 4 a.m. to 12 p.m., Tui; A. Brown, 5 a.m. to 8 p.m., Huia.