CONCILIATION BOARD.

Evening Post, Volume LXII, Issue 127, 25 November 1901, Page 6

CONCILIATION BOARD.

* THE SEAMEN'S CASE. Tte.Board sat at 1Q.30»a.m. to-day for the further, consideration of the claims of the Wellington Branch of the Australasian Federated Seamen's Industrial Association of Worifers. The Chairman. (Mr. Crewes) asked if it would be practicable to take together the dispute already partially heard, and 1 that filed by the Federated Seamen's "Union of New Zealand. Mr. Young, for the New Zealand brancK' of the Australian body, said he must object to such an arrangement, arid ask that his case, which was already b,efore the Board, be heard by itself. He was quite oblivious of what became of the other dispute.. Mr. Jones. (Secretary of the New Zealand Union) said, ,it was immaterial to him how the cases were tried, as he felt sure that the matter would go before another tribunal. Mr. Kennedy, for the Union Steam Ship Company, said lie would like to have the two cases taken together, but could see the' difficulties in the way. The Chairman then suggested {hat Mi*. Jones remain and watch the proceedings in the first case on behalf of his union. Mr. Jones agreed to this coiirse, and the second case (that of the 1 Ne,w Zealand Union) was adjouvned till the conclusion of the first. Mr. Pitcaithley, a Christchuroh. .shipowner, said he had come up from Christchurch in answer to a. citation to appear as party tQ the New Zealand Union's case. Mr. Jones pointed out,th£t it -was hard for shipowners from outsicte tne Wellington Industrial District to have lo wait here indefinitely. « ' > Considerable discussion took place asto''the anomalies arising out of the conflict between the two cases, and some amusing passages took place. / Mr., Pitcaithley said he wanted to know definitely when the second case would come on. He could stay till tomorrow, but not longer. This was a little thing in which he was not particularly interested. He had one small boat which came to Wellington only occasionally. ' <%, The r Chairman said this was the best arrangement that could' be come to under the circumstances.. He pointed .put that it would be ridiculous to suppose that two awards would be made. Mr. Young, union representative, continuing his address, went into 1 • a comparison between the wages paid to seafaring workers and those on shore, showing apparently that a Wellington butcher, an Otago miner, an up-country ploughman, and a variety of other workers received considerably higher ■wages than the seamen. There was the question of ."keep,", but then the seamen worked much longer hours — 74 per week. In a further comparison, he showed what the shore workers would receive if working tie same -hours as the seafaring man, and further lie dwglt upon the improvement- in the conditions in factories. As' to overtime, they were asking for _an increase from Is per hour to Is fid. This increase of 50 per cent, was exactly equal to the deduction of 1893. Between ]$84 and that <tlate the Is" 6a* rate prevailed. If worked out on an- average .basis, it would be found that the ave# 'age' overtime earned per man per morjth .was lls 9"Jd. They asked that 'the ,watoh tt.elow sptem be made applicable to all 'vessels trading on the Zealand coast. Mr. Young spoke at much further length in support of the demands. *He thought it' should be option^ "m6h tlie men whether tHey would work overtime or not. .Npw, though there was . provision made the crise of married men, the officer had the matter in His, hands. Th,e amount saved by. the Union Company through the reduction in overtime from September, 18&5, to November, 1901, equalled £17,323. Then, v he be,'lieved, the company did not now employ as many men as formerly. The Rqtomahana carried to-day nine men on deck, while in 1893 she carried not less than sixteen The Mararoa carried ten to-day, as against seventeen formerly. By the various reductions in overtime and men the company had saved since 1893 no less than £106,464 ss. The Board adjourned for luncheon at12.30 o'clock.

'A foreigner named Paul Sohquelle-was charged in the Magistrate's Court this afternoon with, having assaulted James M'Koney. Mr. Wilford appeared foi the defence. M'Koney, who is a coloured man and steward on the barque itelene, was in a very weak state, having jusb come out of the Hospital. It is alleged that without any provocation the accused stabbed informant on board' the ship Beacon Rock. The case is proceeding as we go to press. In the early hours of yesterday morning the Esplanade Hotel was broken into, but owing to the fact that Mrs. Prictor, the licensee, had removed the cash from the till, the enterprise of the jthieves was practically without result. Possibly on the principle that half a loaf is better than no bread, two bottles of spirits were appropriated. The police have the ma'fter in band.