MARINE OFFICERS AND ENGINEERS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume VI, 16 February 1917, Page 3

MARINE OFFICERS AND ENGINEERS.

QUESTION OF EXEMPTION.

Wellington, Feb. 15. Before the Military Service Board appeals were lodged on behalf of a number of mercantile officers and marine engineers, and Messrs Wallace (secretary of the Marine Engineers’ Institute), and Kennedy (Wellington manager of the Union Co.), were examined, the latter was asked if the company was prepared to employ engineers who held first-class certificates if over the age limit, which the company fixed at 35.

Captain Baldwin asked if the company was going to ask for the same standard regarding age as before the war.

Mr. Kennedy’s reply was, “I don’t say so at all.” Captain Baldwin: ‘ T can take it also from you that a mere question of advance in pay wouldn’t stand in the way?” Witness: “I cannot say.” He added that so far as he knew the company made no alteration in age requirements. Later he said that if men were not competent for positions as engineers the company surely ought not to be forced to release other competent men for incompetents. The Union Co had played the game since the beginning of the war and the Government had said so. At present the company had not made any alteration in the age standard. Mr. Kennedy went on to say he had received a letter from an engineer who had enlisted and gone Home, and the shortage of engineers was so great that the authorities took him out of the trenches and put him on a warship. Mr. Mack: If there was a shortage of engineers here we could do the same thing. We could get men from Trentham camp. Captain Baldwin: The suggestion is, Mr. Kennedy, that there is no shortage, and if “land” engineers with the necessary certificates are available they should be taken on in order to J release men of the first division. Mr. Kennedy reiterated his former statement that these men if quite desirable would probably be taken on. At a later stage in the proceedings, Mr. Kennedy took some exception to the remarks made by Captain Baldwin in regard to the supply of engineers in order to make" profits for the shipowners. Captain Baldwin : I merely suggested that men were being found by the country and that the ultimate- benefit would be to private interests.

Mr. Kennedy referred to Heights and denied the insinuation that shipowners were making tremendous profits. Captain Baldwin: I did not say “tremendous” profits, I said “profits.”

Mr. Kennedy said there had only been a rise of 2/6 in coastal freights and 5/- in inter-colonial freights, and the bulk of the increase had gone in increased wages for the men. He also referred to the position in regard to Newcastle coal. Captain Baldwin : You have opened up the question of profits, Mr. Kennedy. Can you tell us what amount of tax the Union S.S. Co. has paid on excess war profits ? Mr. Kennedy: I simply could not answer that question. Speaking in regard to what he called essential services, Mr. Kennedy said that there were some of the services being run by his company which they would be very glad to drop, as they were quite unpayable. He had two in his mind in particular which were of no benefit to the company and which were being run for the public benefit. If by reason of shortage of engineers and firemeq these ships were to be laid up it would be a good thmg for the company, but something in the nature of a disaster so far as public benefit was concerned. He instanced the present condition of affairs in Gisborne, which was isolated through a very short interruption of shipping, and which was short of flour and sugar, and of Napier, which was bare of coal, and urgently calling out for a steamer. If the shipowners were going to be unable to secure men it was going to be very much against public interest and should accentuate the difficulty in regard to the shortage of coal. Finally the Board granted two months’ adjournment in six cases, and. one month in three others. The chairman said that in view of the fact that the Union Co is insisting on men applying for the position of engineers complying with its previous regulation with regard to age and suitability and also that it had taken no. steps by advertisement to secure eligible men who are nov ashore, the Board desired it to be distinctly understood that in future men eligible for military service will be not exempted until it is shown conclusively that all available resources have been exhausted.