DISPUTE ON SHIP.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 29 October 1925, Page 7

DISPUTE ON SHIP.

ends in litigation

(BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) AUCKLAND, Oct. 28.

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 penalty of £2OO from the Seamen’s Federation of New Zealand, on a charge of having incited or instigated an unlawful strike, The department further claimed £IOO penalties for alleged breach of the award and for bavin” taken proceedings with intent to defeat certain provisions in the award. The case was heard before Mr E- C. Cut-ten, S.M. Owing to an objection by Mr V\. i. Youno' (for the Seamen’s Federation), the hearing of similar charges against Charles Bertie Fittes and himself was deferred until the conclusion of the main case. Mr A. C. Berendsen (tor the Labour Department) said 'the case arose from a dispute over the duties- ot donkeymen and firemen performing the duties (if donkevmen. It had been customary for donkeymen to perform certain work in connection with the valves: on shipboard. The award provided that when in port donkeymen or firemen keeping steam up might be replaced or 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 the matter of members working valves, and it had been decided that men were ho longer to work valves. Thus the executive council definitely advisedi members of the union to ignore 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, was called by the prosecution. He said the point was that the working of valves was dangerous. He suggested that the working of machinery appertaining to the engine department was not the business of an uneertificated man. The circular was intended 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 ivas not the same danger with winches. Maurice Patterson, assistant marine superintendent of the Northern Steamship Company, said that a man on the Clansman first refused to open the valves or touch the machinery in the engineroom. The next ship affected was the Wnipu, 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 any danger in operating engine-room valves. There was practically no difference between engineroom and winch valves. Cross-examined, witness said he took the-words “looking after” in the award to mean operation. He had never been authorised to toll firemen to shut off and start again, but it was a customary procedure John Darling Douglas, formerly engineer of the Grlenelg, said two firemen and greasers 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 '£hc part of firemen or donkeymen.

Alfred Sneyd, engineer of the Waipu, also gave evidence of the refusal of his firemen amt greasers to work 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 Labour .Department for a breach of article 6?

Witness: No, I have not. Mr, Young: It may be a pleasure in store for vou.

Further evidence was given by the engineers of the Pi mu, iManaia and Wakatere regarding the refusal of men to do valve work. The men had performed all other duties except, that the greasers had avoided answering the telegraph. It had been the general practice, for donkeymen to do the valve work in ports and greasing while at sea.

The case will be resumed to-morrow.