Union Steam Ship Company.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XIX, Issue 5905, 29 March 1894, Page 3

Union Steam Ship Company.

(DAItY TOtEM CORRESPONDENT.) ■Welunoton, March 2S. Interviewed in Sydney by a Daily Telegraph reporter, Mr .lames Mills, managing director of the Union Steam Ship Company, pave some statistics that are worth reproducing. "When all our ships are in commission, we emptoy afloat 710 persons, and onr montnly wages payment runs to something like Llp,ooo. In addition, we have an army ashore in various capacities officers, mechanics, coal laborers, and so- on. Our vessels steamed during the fast 12 months over 1,800.000 miles with a total consumption of 170.000 tons of coal, and m that period we carried no less than lfiO.ooo passengers. For the Sitn Francisco steamers alone we purchase tocally well on to 25.000 tons of coal per annum, and otrr annual Sydney disbursements in connection with that line amount to Lo0,000." Mr Mills points out that when the Australian companies reduced the wages of sailors, firemen, trimmers, and others of that grade by L2 per month, his company took off only LI, an arrangement the men readily fell in with. As to officers and stewards, who are on a different footing from the other employees, no reduction has yet been made, nor will any be made unless the pressure of falling revenue compels it.