SHIPPING DISPUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20362, 17 September 1929, Page 8

SHIPPING DISPUTE.

TROUBLE ON HINEMOA.

DEPARTURE POSTPONED.

EXTRA FIREMEN AND WAGES.

Owing to a disputo between tlio Senmen's Union and the owners of the steamer Hincmoa regarding tlio number of firemen to bo carried and the rates of pay for the seamen, the departure of the vessel, which was to have sailed for Wcstport and Bluff at 4 p.m. yesterday, has boon indefinitely postponed. 'Hie men are asking for a crew of six firemen and wages of £1 a day for seamen. Mr. A. G, Brown, representative of Spedding, Limited, local agents for I). W. McKay, Limited, of Invcrcargill, owners of the ship, said the deadlock occurred prior to the signing on of the crew yesterday afternoon. The Shipping and Seamen's Act, ho stated, provided for three firemen, whereas the men were asking for double that number. With regard to the rates of pay, ho said, an agreement between the Shipowners' Federation and the union provided for a 25 per cent, increase on ordinary wages for seamen, of whom the ship's complement comprised seven, for short trips. The refusal of the men in the first instance was contrary to the Act, while in the second case a breach of the agreement was being committed. Mr. T. F. Anderson, secretary of the Seamen's Union, said the men's requests were perfectly justified aud it was a case of tlio owners trying "to suck the orange dry." When the Hinemoa was owned by the Government the vessel, he said, always carried the six firemen. As there wero four furnaces on tlio ship the services of the extra men were required, the firemen not being carried for "ornament." It was not usual to abide strictly by the letter of the Act and no vessel of similar tonnage on the New Zealand coast carried fewer than six firemen.

As the Hineinoa was only going to Bluff, where the crew would be paid off, a 25 per cent, increase in tho seamen's wages was not adequate. An agreement had been drawn up in July, 1928, between tho Shipowners' Federation and tho Seamen's Union providing for the 25 per cent, rate, but the new owners of the vessel, ho said, were not a party to that agreement. No union member ho expected would work under these conditions and it remained i'or the owners to take conciliatory steps. 'The Hinannoa was recently purchased by D. W. McKay, Limited, for the running of a South Island tourist service. The ship was to have "bunkered" at Westport and remained at Bluff until the commencement of the tourist season. The short passage to Bluff would have been the Hinemoa's maiden trip under her new owners.