REPAIRING OF SHIPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16674, 19 October 1917, Page 4

REPAIRING OF SHIPS .

SHORTAGE OF ENGINEERS. ■ —• "■-' :*v.;-^y-v,: POSITION VERY /CUTE. Tire shortage of engineers and ship re , „ : ' pairers in Auckland was referred to diir'' ing the hearing of an ap P *.-l before tie " Military Service Board yesterday. Harold M. Warner (Mr. Lusk), a parf. ner in the firm of Warner and Clare ' trading as the Senior Foundry Company' appealed for total exemption en.-'the ground of occupation. Appellant stated, that during the year the firm had: co m . pleted 277 shipping repair jobs. ~ Letters were read from the Union Steam Ship Company, Northern Steam, ship : Company, f • New Zealand - Ship. ping Company, the Auckland Farmers' : Freezing Company, and other firms ' stat-"-ing that Warner and Clare were doing * great deal of very necessary work, and ' they considered they were very essential' - to the shipping and freezing work cf Auckland port.

Captain C. 0. Plunkett, Lloyd's snrft veyor, wrote stating that most 0 f tk&M shipping repairs in Auckland were carried V> out under his supervision, but the position had lately become very acute owing -; ; to the shortage of men. He had lately v been reduced to passing only temporary • repairs, as to carry them out permanently was almost impossible without serious - .delay to shipping. He considered Warner's services were most essential to the community. 3 Appellant said that he had thought of "■".' volunteering, but on his mentioning tfco : ; matter to his partner the latter said if he - did so the firm could not carry on. " To Major . Conlan: The firm employed about 80 men. He had to -attend to the financial part of the business, the prepara- "■ tion of estimates, drafting designs, etc. and; occasionally he helped with the" re': * pair work. ' .;■-:" '."■""" -Vv..- 'iCharles Clare, a partner in : the firm,- -- said - that if Warner went away . it would mean shutting the business up. "'. . ; Samuel ■< Dalrymple, \ senior inspector of i machinery for Auckland, 1 ; said ; that War- $ ner was an essential, man. -. The shortage of engineers was V becoming ;-; very '- acute. '■'-'■ Eepairs had teen-started on one vessel in port four-months ago, but they had not " : l been completed yet owing to lack of men. ;: He did not know where Warner could get ? amah to replace him. There had been. *■• more work in Auckland lately than for 5 . many •■ months. ':-~-V "■ The chairman said that appellant was " : an indispensable ; man, and his . appeal : : : would be adjourned sine die. ■■<.■•■ %