DISMISSED CREW

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21830, 19 June 1934, Page 10

DISMISSED CREW

DISPUTE OVER PAYMENT MEN FROM MONOWAI RETURN TO HOMES CLAIMED [by telegraph —own correspondent] WELLINGTON, Monday A dispute has arisen over payment of cooks and stewards on the Monowai who did not give notice, but who were discharged by the master, Captain A. H. Davy, at Wellington. The union asserts that these men are entitled .to wages and transportation back to their home port, while the Union Steam Ship Company considers that. they are entitled to 24 hours' notice only. The 44 men who gave notice on the Monowai on the trip from Auckland to Wellington all had their homes in Wellington and the procedure they adopted was in accordance with the terms of their agreement. The remainder of the cooks and stewards have their homes elsewhere. Twenty-six reside in Sydney, 16 in Auckland and two in Dunediu. It is these men who are concerned in the wages dispute. The notice posted by the captain read as follows:—"In consequence of the refusal of the crew to obey lawful command and combining to impede the voyage, 24 hours' notice of termination of service is hereby given to each member of the crew." The wages due to the men under the provisions of this notice were made out. but the men have refused to sign,for them or lift them.- They point out it would not have been lawful for the captain to take the ship to sea, as the Shipping and Seamen's Act provides that a certificated ship's cook must bo included among the crew. The ship's cook was among the men who signed off, and this fact was pointed out to the captain. When the position was not filled, the men contend that they were rightly entitled to object to proceeding to sea, and they further assert that they have a claim on thfc company for the payment of wages until they are returned to their home port at the expense of the company. Negotiations are proceeding between the company and the union. The company has so far declined to comment on the question. ANOTHER SHIP LAID UP KIWITEA AT WELLINGTON i ——— NO COOKS "OR STEWARDS [by telegraph—press association] ' WELLINGTON, Monday Another vessel, the cargo steamer Kiwitea, became involved to-day in the dispute between the Union Steam Ship Company and the Cooks and Stewards' Union. The Kiwitea was to have signed fresh articles to-day, but as none of her cooks or stewards would sign on the vessel also lias been paid off and laid U The Kiwitea was to have been docked for cleaning and painting and was scheduled then to proceed to Greymouth to load for Sydney. •One of the cooks of another of the Union Company's cargo vessels, the Waimarino, came ashore sick this morning. Attempts to replace him were, it is understood, successful, but-when the Waimarino was ready to leave for Auckland .to-night it is understood that one of her greasers was missing. Attempts to replace the man failed and the Waimarino's departure has been postponed until to-morrow. So far five vessels have been affected at Wellington by the dispute, the Makura, the Monowai, the Maori, the Kaimai and the Kiwitea.