TROUBLE ON STEAMER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20244, 2 May 1929, Page 14

TROUBLE ON STEAMER.

&RAB FIREMEN LEAVE SHIP.

iTWO MORE HANDS WANTED.

SIX MEN STILL ASHORE.

DELAY TO THE TREGENNA. Nine Arab firemen on the Hain Line Steamer Tregenna left the vessel at Auckland yesterday morning becauso the cr.ptain refused to employ an extra two men in the stokehold. The vessel was about to sail for New Plymouth, but owing to the men's action she was taken to an anchorago in t'he stream instead.

The absence of the stokers was reported to the wharf police, who apprehended three of the men near the waterfront and put them on board the steamer shortly before midday. The other six absentees could not be found, so warrants were taken out for their arrest. Last night the whereabouts of the missing men had not been located, so the yessel is still delayed. The Tregenna reached Auckland from Nauru Island late on Sunday night with a full cargo of phosphates. She unloaded 2975 tons at King's Wharf and is to discharge the remainder at New Plymouth and Wanganw. She sailed from England last October and after a voyage to the East she has revisited Auckland on three occasions since. In January she brought general cargo from Halifax and in March she unloaded phosphates at this port from Makatea.

Tho total stokehold staff consists of 10 men. They contend that the work at sea is too hard and that two more should be employed.

The dispute was referred to the Marine Department, but the local superintendent ©f' Mercantile Marine will not interfere in the matter because the steamer is fullymanned according to the Board of Trade scale:

Tho men's action in deserting is a costly way of protesting, because they are liable to have to pay all the costs in connection with their apprehension out of any wages they have due to them. In the meantime it is not certain when the steamer will be able to sail.