Envious Seamen

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVI, Issue 90, 1 April 1926, Page 5

Envious Seamen

STRIKE FOR N.?. WAGE RATES HOME MEN GO TO GAOL. Wellington, March 31. Twenty-seven members of the crew of the steamer Cross Hill, which recently completed the discharge of her cargo of phosphate from Ocean Island at .Lyttelton, but which has been held up since Monday evening owing to the crew refusing to sail unless paid New Zealand rates of pay, appeared before Mr. H. Y. Widdowson. in tlie Lyttelton Magistrate’s Court on a charge of having, on March 27, combined with other members of the crew to impede the progress of the vessel. Mr. J. B. Batchelor appeared for the defendants, Thomas W. Stewart, master of the Cross Hill, stated in evidence that the agreement with the men was for a period oij three years from the time they had signed on at Glasgow. When the vessel was on the coast of South America the. rates obtaining there were lower than those agreed to, but tho latter rates had been paid just tho same. When he had spoken to the men collectively about their attitude they told him they intended to stick together and refused io withdraw their demands. Mr. Batchelor said that the cases werp the outcome of differences between the master and the men. When the men signed on they were told that the vessel would make a trip to South America, thence going to the islands and to Australia and New Zealand, after which the vessel was to go hack home. Jt was subsequently learned that the vessel was to be engaged in t|ie trade between the islands and Australia and New Zealand. The Home rates of wages for firemen were £9 10s a month and £9 for seamen, whereas in New Zealand the rates were £l5 6s 8d and £l4 6s 8d respectively. He stated that on two other vessels which were engaged in a similar trade the men liad been paid New Zealand rates of pay. The men felt that as they were good unionists they should get the higher rates of pay, otherwise they might lie called “scabs.” The Magistrate: What happened when the men on the two vessels mentioned got home? Mr. Batchelor: There is some allegation that the increased wage was taken from them again. Mr. Batchelor, stated that the men had been treated like dogs on the voyage and had not been fed properly, being kept without butter and other articles of food. The Magistrate: How long have they been in New Zealand? Mr. Batchelor: Eight, days. His Worship : They have recovered all right. Counsel: Yes, they are not a bad looking lot. Mr Batchelor contended that the men had not refused to carry out their duty. They were still, in fact, ready to take the vessel from the wharf. The Magistrate: To where. Mr Batchelor: I don’t know. Ted Welsh stated that when he had complained of the rations given the men the master, said that he could feed them better on his own. John Currie, a well set up man of about 16 stone, a firemen, then entered the box, the Magistrate remarking that he was a healthy looking specimen of manhood. The Magistrate (smilingly): Were you starved on the island, too? Witness: Yes, it was the worst starving I had for years. (Laughter). In answer to Mr Upham witness said that he was prepared to take the vessel from the wharf, but as to what would happen when this had been done was a matter for the officers to deal with. In giving his decision the Magistrate stated that the evidence was quite clear that the men had combined to impede the progress of the vessel. It was immaterial where the action had taken . place. With regard to the question of wages and food, these need not be taken into account at all by him; they could be dealt with elsewhere. The question of food concerned the Court only in so far as mitigation of the penalty was concerned. He would have to sentence them each to four weeks’ imprisonment with hard labour. However, if they changed their minds at an v time and decided to take the vessel to sea they would he liberated, the same as had been done in previous cases. He stressed the fact that the action of the inen was a serious one and was of a nature calculated to paralyse the whole of the shipping industry? Mr. Batchelor stated that he had been instructed to tell the Court that the men would not take the vessel to sea unless they were given the New Zealand rates of wages. They were prepared to take the vessel into the stream in order to save the company wharf charges, but would not do anything further. He stated that the position was that the company would have to pay New Zealand rates to another crow should it be engaged. The men were not in the least dispirted at the cases going againest them, some of them stating that they would be fed bettor in gnol than they had been on thn Cross Hill. Owing to the Lyttelton lock-up being too small conveniently to accommodate the men. they were allowed to steep on hoard the vessel to-night.