ARBITRATION COURT.

Evening Star, Issue 12726, 1 February 1906, Page 4

ARBITRATION COURT.

Eleventh Bat.—Thursday. The Arbitration Court continued their hearing this morning of the seamen's dispute. Air Kirby explained that .h© intended to call two witnesses, who would answer the allegations made in respect to the men’s quarters in the Maheno. 'He would read a letter sent by Mr Mills to Mr Kennedy, the' company’s manager at Wellington, in answer to a communication received from Mr Young on this matter. Mr Young objected to the letter being read unless he was provided with a copy of it. He had only been given an opportmuty of perusing the letter in Mr Kenrietfys office. The President explained that if the letter was read it then became public property. Both sides had no objection to the letter being made public, and Mr Kirby then read

Mr Mills, in the course of his letter, said that he shared with Mr Young the opinion that it was in the company’s interest as well as that of the men that their quarters should be Comfortable and as attractive as circumstances permitted as an inducement to them to remain on board in their leisure hours instead of wandering ashore where they were tempted to drink. Seeing that, in point of location, the company had to subordinate the crew to some extent to passengers, he was quite willing that they should be compensated as far as possible by comfortable surroundings and suitable conveniences. So far, however, they had had no encouragement in this direction, from the men themselves, as in most cases they took no trouble to keep their quarters tidy,, and often seemed to take pleasure in damaging ships’ property. In the Maheno more space had been allowed for the crew than required by the Shiping Act. The firemen had 163.6 cubic feet of space with. 18.8 square feet deck space. The seamen had 205 cubic feet of space and’ 26.5 sqnare feet v&ck space, while the stewards had 125.4 cubic feet of space with 17.6 square fret deck space. The company had designedly done away with the wood lining of the hull and bulkheads in the crew’s quarters for the sake of cleanliness, as where wood was employed it had been found impossible to keep the place clear of vermin. Bugs got into the crevices, and could not be exterminated. For the same reason they had substituted iron bunks for wood in the crew’s as well as in the passengers’ quarters. As to ventilation, he was told this was in most eases -sufficiently attended to, and that as a mater of fact it was quite a common occurrence to find ventilators in men’s quarters stuffed with pillows, old clothes, etc., to keep out the cold air. The ventilation in the Maheno’s crew’s' quarters was reported to be more than sufficient. Scuppers were also provided for carrying off any water that might accumulate. It would certainly be an ideal arrangement to have the whole crew in a deckhouse or on the main deck with a separate apartment for dining, but it would occupy too large a share of valuable earning space. The company were only too gl\l to do all they could to make the men comfortable. At the same time Mr Young would recognise that it was necessary that everything dhould be plain and substantial. He believed they took as much trouble with regard to cleanliness of forecastles as any other employers, as they were painted out every year', and sometimes oftener. If the men would take a little trouble to keep their quarters cleaner and generally took more care of things, it would afford the company great pleasure to do more for them than had hitherto been possible. They were prepared to do whatcrer was possible under existing circumstances to remedy real grievances, and were not averse to receiving suggestions in that direction. Robert Paimian, draughtsman employed by the Union Company, said that he had been in the- company’s service for fourteen years. Ho had measured the Maheno’s quarters, and found that the total cubic area of the firemen’s quarters was 4,583 cubic feet. The floor space was 528 square feet, giving 18.8 square feet floor splice per man, and 163.6 cubic feet air space per man. In the seamen’s quarters the total cubic feet..was 1,605, floor space 208 square feet, giving 17.5 square feet per man and 103 cubic feet per man. In the stewards’ quarters the total cubic feet was 2,716, floor space 388 square feet, giving 17.6 square feet per man and 123.4 cubic feet per man. By Mr Kirby: He was not down in the forecastle when all hands were there.

Draycott Birkett, naval architect, for some time in the employ of Denny Bros., Dumbarton, said that he was in Denny's yard during the court ruction of the Maheno. He worked at her original plans. It was not the rule to put in iron bedsteads, as shipowners would not go to the extra expense of doing so when they could get wooden ones for the crew. In designing vesrehs the invariable rule was to allow 12 square feet of dock area for each member of the ’crew. The only company building in Denny’s yard to tako exception to th-h were the Union Company, who allowed 18 square feet.

Herbert Platts, chief officer of the Koonya, and lato of tiro Taieri, corroborated the evidence given by other chief officers in regard, to tire company’s proposals. While on the Taieri in the Westport-Wellington trade they would have four days and Rome times a week discharging in Wellington. Tlir.iraveragetime for loading in Westport would com© to five days. The Taieri would cany 2,000 tons of coal on an average. He compiled a return for one week in May of the hours worked per day. The average hoursfworked. including overtime, was 8h 26min, and 7h 35nrin exclusive i>> overtime. The day men worked 8h 4miu including overtime, and 7h 30rain exclusive of overtime.

The Court adjourned for lunch, and resumed at 2.45 p.m. John Beightoa, chief officer of the Poherua, said that his ship carried five A.B.r, on© ordinary, and one lamp trimmer. The ordinary seaman took a wheel and the lookout, The wheel and the look-out were divided between three men, and not two as had been stated. As far as driving, a winch or taking a wheel was concerned, the ordinary seaman was one of the best in the ship. When working cargo in Dunedin they always put on shore labor after five o’clock at night. They might sometimes bs called out at six in the morning to get the gear ready. 'When working Oamaru and Timam they worked watch and watch when possible. Tlrey did this so as to ease the men. It was a better system than working them right on with overtime. Tire men seemed to prefer watch and watch. They never employed the men down below handling cargo. When employed on the Haupiri they always kept anchor watch when anchored in a bay or roadstead. On the Bast Coast, from Wellington to Auckland they would work six bays during the ordinary time-table, and there were three other bays they would visit during the wool season. Men were down at the wharf at Auckland every trip wanting a job on the Haupiri. That was on account of the extra money that was to ho made on that trade. The men had never complained! to him about working long hours. It would be impossible to have the morning watch oft' in that trade. The case was still proceeding at 3.30 p.m.