HUNG UP FOR 32 HOURS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3710, 20 December 1912, Page 9

HUNG UP FOR 32 HOURS.

MAPOURIKA SHORT.OF FIREMEN. [PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAMJ WELLINGTON, Dec. 19: The Mapourika, which had been hung up here for 32 hours with a full complement of passengers, got away at midnight, the necessary firemen having been secured. ANOTHER ENFORCED WAIT AT NELSON. NELSON, Dec. 19. ■The Union Co’s steamer Mapourika, after a prolonged delay at Wellington wharf in connection with the demands of the stokehold crew, had her running further dislocated this afternoon, trouble from the same source being responsible, for her being held up at the last minute prior to sailing at 3 o’clock, the scheduled time for sailing. The aft moorings had been, cast off and the pilot was in charge when the firemen and trimmers left the stokehold and went to the bridge, inf u ruing the captain that they would no: stoke the vessel until another fireman had been obtained. It appears that one of their number had come on board under the influence of drink and refused on any account to work. The stokehold crew consisted of three firemen and three tiimmers, this providing a fireman and a trimmer for each watch. The nen contend that the absence of one ruin made work too severe, and .'-(.nee the demand for a new fireman. In the meantime the vessel had been re-moored. The captain and the local manager of the Union Company, conferred with the men. A special difficulty presented itself, inasmuch as there was no fireman with a ticket to be found in Nelson, and the services of another trimmer were refused. No agreement was arrived at, and the sailing of the vessel with a large number of passengers for the West Coast was put off till 10 o’clock tomorrow. The Pukaki, which sailed later, took all the perishable cargo.