DISPUTE ON SHIP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22545, 9 October 1936, Page 10

DISPUTE ON SHIP

STEWARDS AND COOKS NOTICE TO LEAVE VESSEL REFUSAL TO CARRY STORES OBJECTION TO THE WEIGHT Six stewards and three cooks on the Government steamer Matai, which arrived yesterday morning from the Hauraki Gulf, gave the master of the vessel, Captain Burgess, at six o'clock last evening, 24 hours' notice of their intention to leave the ship. Captain Burgees refused to comment on the matter, but a representative of the men involved said that a dispute had arisen in the morning regarding the removal of sacks of potatoes—ship's stores —from Queen's Wharf, where the vessel is berthed, to tlie ship. Each sack of potatoes, it was stated, weighed 1401b., and the stewards and cooks considered they should not have to carry the stores. Owing to a question of quality, the potatoes were later changed, several sacks of others, each sack weighing 2241b., being brought on to the wharf for loadii and the men again refused to do any carrying. They claimed that they should not be asked to do so, the cooks and stewards' award providing that, whore practicable, a member of the union should not carry stores weighing over 701b., which should be slung on board. "If an accident occurred to one of us while carrying over the specified weight, no claim could 1«> made." said one of the men last night, "Representations were made to the captain, but he was adamant that we would have to carry the potatoes, or get off the ship. Therefore, we gave notice." . The Matai is scheduled to leave for Wellington on Monday,- by way of North Cape and the West Coast.