The Evening Star THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1920.

Evening Star, Issue 17542, 23 December 1920, Page 6

The Evening Star THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1920.

“Will you, won’t you, will-you, won’t ~ hlnn . l° U ’ wiU you i° in the ng dance?” is the question Troubles. which disturbs the minds .. of the New Zealand public, reading of the big shipping dislocation on the other side and the threats to hold up the Dominion ferry service. The cooks and stewards are in an unsettled mood. Jt is not only that they would like to bring pressure to bear on the Arbitration Cornt, if possible, for granting to them °f a-bonus of 10s a week when it has thought 3s enough for other workers who are not fed and lodged by their employers; but, according to the latest messages, they have many grievances hesides. Like Mrs Dummidge, they are in the mood to feel that “Everything goes contrairy with me.” One of the claims made by seamen in Australia was for daily meals at least as good as those of the first saloon. Some stewards in New Zealand find it a grievance that they have no proper wardrobes for their clothes. They resent the suggestion which has been made that stewards, after all, are a luxury, and. that vessels can sail without them. If that supposed reflection on .their imporArbitrat‘ ld to intimidat e the Arbitration Court, was the cause of the aons stewards giving notice, their protest on behalf of a “principle” need not have been earned so far to their own loss. The travelling public have always treated the stewards generously. There is no real doubt but that they and the comply uould prefer to have them on board. Tips may be sess numerous in the future if the pub ic are to be “let down ” by the stew! arilt lef ® When tbe y find it ordinaniy most convenient to travel And +w “ - n ° d oubt the S S;i“ d wW union offered to abolish the custom when Hon h 3geS T 0 raiSed ° n a P ast °ccathe Phw 8 Va U6d tlpS> We ha ™ heard thina? ma t SeaS ° n pleaded as an addiJZd themwhen a aerrice rentiercd has been specially small. be atTat f " b3d Principle that ™uld Court whfch PreSS T ° n the Oration Court which can only judge its cases on lf the fi S e S /. Ut f ° rth ’ were the motive of itwillT a 1! 0n - What effect Of t will be upon the steamers’ runnings will depend upon the -seamen’s and firemens conduct. They have diff j wM th. ,l e , b .L; ‘ y„ T lm r '7" d *<■»'i«> a ship if a cook nofc charged, and _the others gave notice that they would not serve if he was dismissed The secretary of the Seamens Union has stated now that the seamen will run the ships, and no sailings have had to be suspended as we write. That makes a good augury for' the continuance of the service over the Christmas period, though the suggestion-contained in the explanation of the seamen’s aloofness—that it is desired to force the cooks and stewards into an organisation stronger than themselves for militancy—may not afford much even-

tual comfort to the public. The case of the coots and stewards for an eight-hour day (if that is among ,their demands), as well as for increased wages, ip one for argument, not one to be pressed by force. In Australia twenty thousand workers are idle as the result of the shipping strike. New Zealand’s shipping workers might reflect what possible advantage can result to anyone from that state of affairs. The stewards should be ready to show some Christmas feeling.