DONKEYMAN’S WORK

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIII, Issue 10141, 29 October 1925, Page 5

DONKEYMAN’S WORK

i . TROUBLE ON COASTAL STEAMERS. SHOULD VALVES BE ATTENDED TO? LABOR DEPARTMENT PROCEEDS AGAINST SEAMEN’S FEDER---'■v. .' " ATION. - AUCKLAND, Oct. 28. Tho trouble which has arisen oyer the duties of donkeymen on coastal steamers was brought to the jurisdiction of the Magistrate’s Court to-day, when the Labor Department (Mr. O. A. Berendsen) ' claimed a penalty of £2OO from the Seamen's Federation of New Zealand (Mr. W. T. Young) on a charge of having incited or instigated an unlawful strike. The Department further claimed £IOO penalty for alleged breach of award, and for having taken proceedings with intent to defeat certain provisions in the award. The case was heard before Mr. E. O. „ Cutten, S.M.. Owing to an objection by Mr. Young, the hearing of similar charges against Bertie Fittes and himself was deferred until the conclusion of the main case. ~ Mr. Berendsen said the case arose from a dispute over the duties. of donkeymen and firemen. It had been) customary for donkeymen to perform certain work in connection '-with valves on. shipboard. The award provided that wheit in port donkeymen or fireinen keeping steam might be called on to work for any consecutive eight hours, and that tlipse workers should look after engines and auxiliaries. -The. Union circularised its members, advising them that the Executive Council had considered the matter of members working valves, and it had been decided l that the men were no longer to work the valves. Thus the Executive Council definitely advised the members of the Union to ignore the provisions of the award. The workers on certain ships had ceased to operate the valves, and some had gone- further and refused to do certain other work.

William Thomas Young, general secretary of the Seamen’s Federation, called' by the prosecution, said lie wrote the circular. The point was that working of valves was dangerous. He suggested that the working of machinery appertaining to the engine department was not tho business of an uncertificated man. The circular was to operate only in the engine department. Charles Bertie Fittes, general president of the Federation, was also called by the prosecution. He said the decision to issue the circular was made on the general principles of the preservation of life and limb. There was not the same danger with winches. Maurice- Patterson, assistant marine. superintendent of the Northern Steamship Gay., said that a man on the Clansman first refused to open the valves or touch tlie machinery in the engine-room. The next ship affected was the 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 think there was ally danger in operating engine-room valves. There was practically no, difference between the engine-room and winch valves.

Cross-examined, witness said he took the words ‘‘looking alter” in the award to mean operation-. He had never been authorised to tell the firemen, to shut off and start again, but it was the,customary procedure. John Darling Douglas, formerly engineer of the Glenelg, said two firemen and greasers advised him they could not carry out their customary duties. In replv to Mr. Young, witness said lie took the words ‘‘looking after” to mean general attention on the part of firemen or donkeymen. Alfred Sneyd, engineer on the Waiapu, also gave evidence of the refusal of his firemen and greasers to work the valves. It was impossible for witness to do the: whole of the work himself, and he refused'to go to sea, under those conditions. On a later occasion the men again, refused, but the ship, sailed, and witness worked the valves. Mr. Young: Have you received a citation* from. the Labor Department for a-breach of article 6?—No, 1 have not."'Mr." Young: It may be a. pleasure in store; for you. Further evidence was given by tlie engineers of the Rirnu. Manaia and TYakatere regarding tho refusal of tho men to do yalve work. The men had performed all other duties, except that the greasers had avoided answering the telegraph./' It- had been tlie general practice for donkeymen to do tho valve work in ports and greasing while at sea. The case will be resumed to-mor-row.—P.A.