THE WAGE CUT

Hokitika Guardian, 17 June 1931, Page 3

THE WAGE CUT

COOKS AND STEWARDS. HOLD UP VLCoELS. % {By Telegraph—Pei Press Associationj AUCKLAND, June lb. iwenty vessels are mceiy to be rond-ieu ic.le m Auckland uuvugh toe reiusai ol the Cooks ana bie>»uius on i\ew Zealand articles io accept the ten per cent, reduction in wages. The trouoie experienced with the 'lolua and the Waimea developed extensively to-day, and it that every coastal vessel at "Auckland and Onelmriga will be involved in the dispute. The representatives, both •of the shipping companies and of the men decline ’to comment on the situation on the ground that the dispute is, being handled in Wellington.

The .trouble at Auckland originated with tile cooks and stewards of the Tofua and the Waimea. In order that the Tofua’s departure for Suva- should not he delayed, an adjustment was made, and the Waimea’s trip to the East Coast was cancelled. Similar action has been taken with’ the Kaimanawa and the Kiwi tea,- the cfews of which will he paid off tomorrow. The Niagara sailed for Sydney, her crew being on Australian articles. The Mnrama has sailed for Wellington, and the question of reduced wages will not arise until that vessel reaches Wellington. All the local coastal vessels carrying cooks and stewards are involved >n the trouble. The men have refused the reduced wages, but the owners have not yet settled on their line of action. WELLINGTON, June Iff. The Makura, due to sail for San Francisco at J p.m., to-day, has been held up, through her cooks and stewards refusing to accept engagement at wages reduced hv ten per cent. Dei departure is postponed until noon tomorrow.

FOR COOKS AND STEWARDS. WELLINGTON, June .Iff. All of the cooks and stewards engaged on New Zealand articles have received 24 hours’ . notice, of wage reduction. 'The intor-lsUuul Pennies departed this evening on tune, no move having been made bv the members of the crew. ■ No further attempt lias been made to man either the Wain arino or the. Katoa. There are no other developments off' the waterfront.

,n \T WILL SEAMEN DO? WELLINGTON. June 16. Tt is understood that many of the cooks juki stewards..on the . Makura were prepared to sign on, but they obeyed the Union’s orders not to- do so.' . ■ , jf the cooks and stewards adhere to their decision, it is possi do that tlie seamen will refuse to take the .mips to sea with tree labour. The qu >stion wnl then arise as to whether ibis will be the breach of the Se.ui.en.v . -reement, which does not expire, until July, 1932. The Union Company’s steamer, Opihi, goes alongside the Waima/fuo to morrow o tranship the latter’s ca!go for southern ports.

AT LYTTELTON ( imiSTCITUI CH, June 16. It was expected to-day that trout e will the, cocks and stewards, in consequence of the wa.gcs cut, would extend to the coastal ships at Lyttelton, but ro developments occurred. It was lie,intention of at least one ••limping company to have a (Cause in-cited in their ships’ ; rticles providing for a ten per cent- reduction in wages’ to all ratings other than the members, of- the New Zealand .'•’eamet’B Union, F-r some reasons, possibly because of the appeal of the cooks and stewards now lending, this notice was not sen eo.

GALE’S MEN REFUSE CUT. TTMAR-U, June 16. The coastal vessel, Gale, which arrived at I'imaru on Sunday, with a cargo of coal, and which was to have sailed this evening, is held up on account of her cook and steward refusing to sign on under a. new agreement, involving a ten, per*cent. cut in wages. When a new agreement was presented, the men concerned refused to sign it, acting undk>r the instructions of .their organisation.