SHIPS' VALVES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 104, 29 October 1925, Page 12

SHIPS' VALVES

WHO SHOULD WORK THEM? UNION OFFICIALS BEFORE THE CUURT, (II TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) AUCKLAND, 28th October. The trouble which has arisen over the duties of donkeymen on coastal steamers was brought to the jurisdiction of the Magistrate's Court to-day, when the Labour Department claimed a penalty of £200 from the Seamen's Federation of New Zealand on a charge of having incited or instigated an unlawful strike. The Department further claimed £100 penalties for alleged breach of a.ward, and for ha,ving taken proceedings with intent to defeat certain provisions in the award. 'The case was heard before Mr. E. C. Cutten,.S.M. Mr. Berendsen appeared for the Department and Mr. W. T. Young defended. Owing to an objection by Mr. Young, the hearing of similar charges against Charles Bertie Fittes and himself was deferred until the- conclusion of the main case.

Mr. Berondsen said that the case arose from a dispute over the duties of donkeymen and firemen, performing tho duties of donke.ymen. It hud been customary for donkeymen to perform certain work in connection with valves on shipboard. The award provided that when in port donkeymen or firemen keeping steam might, be called on to work for any consecutive eight hours, and that those workers should look after the engines and auxiliaries. The union circularised its members advising them that the ' executive council had considered tho matter of members working valves, and it had decided that tho men woro no longer to work valves. Thus the executive- council definitely advised members of tho union to ignore tho provisions of the award. The workers on certain ships had ceased to operate valves, and some had gone- further and refused loftlo certain other work.

William Thomas Young-, general secretary of tho Seamen's Federation,-call-ed by tho prosecution, said that ho wrote tho circular. Tho point was that tho working of valves was dangerous. Ho suggested that the working 'of machinery appertaining to Iho engine department was not tho business of an uncertificaled man. Tho circular was intended to operate only in tho engine department. ■..'-,, .■.,.,...

: Charles Bertio Fittes, general president of the federation, was also callqd by the prosecution. Ho said that tha decision to issue the circular was made on general principles of tho preservation of life and limb. There was not tho same danger witlj winches. Maurice Patterson, .assistant marina superintendent of the Northern Steamship Company, said that a man on the Clansman first refused to open valves or touch machinery in the engineroom. The next ship affected was tho Waipu, and a definite order to open a certain valve was refused by two men. Practically all the ships were affected after that. He did not thirds; there was any danger in operating engineroom valves, and there was practically no difference between engineroom and winch valves.

Cross-examined, witness said, that, he took tho words, "Looking after," in the award, to mean "operation." Ho had never been authorised to tell the firemen to shut off and start again, but it was 1 the customary procedure. John Darling Douglas, formerly engineer of the Glenelg, said that two fire-men-greasers had advised him that they could not carry out their customary duties. In reply to Mr. Young, witness said he took the words "Looking after" to mean "general attention" on tho part of firemen or donkeymen. • : ■ p Alfred Meyd, .engineer of the Waipu, also gave evidence of the. refusal of his firemen-greasers to work valves. It was impossible Tor witness to do t!i o whole of tho work himself and ho refused to go to sea under those conditions. On H later occasion the men again refused, but tho ship sailed and witness worked the valves.

Mr. Young: "Have you received a citation from tho Labour Department fur a breach of Article 6?"

Witness: "No, I have not." . Mr. Young: "It may bo a pleasure in atoro for you." ' Further evidence was given by 'tho engineers "of the Rimu, Manaia, and Wakatea regarding the refusal of tho men to do. valve work. Tho men had performed all other duties except that greasers had a-voided answering the telegraph. It had been the general practice for the donkeymen to do the valvo work in ports and greasing till at sea. The case will bo resumed to-morrow.