AUCKLAND NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15100, 24 March 1911, Page 6

AUCKLAND NOTES

CFbom Oua Own Correspondent.)

AUCKLAND, March 23.

Auckland mariners are dissatisfied with the conditions prevailing, and claim that the hours of duty are much too long and that the pay is inadequate, whilst no payment is made for overtime. Many ship's officers in Auckland, it is stated, have sometimes to work from 12 to 18 hours a day, and it is considered that an award is necessary to bring about better conditions.

A FIREMEN'S RING.

According to statements made in shipping circles something in the nature of a " ring" has been established amongst firemen in New Zealand with a view to extorting exorbitant rates of pay from the shipping companies trading to and from New Zealand, and as an instance of this the case of the Clan Menzies, a steamer belonging to the Scales line, is quoted. It is stated that when the Clan Menzies arrived here from Gundbiiry (West Australia) some weeks ago several of her firemen deserted, and tho master (Captain Turton) was obliged to engage local men in order to take the vessel up and down the coast. In two instances as much as £10 per man for the trip down to Wellington, with a free passage bade, was demanded, and as no men could be got for less the master was obliged with the best grace possible to engage the men upon their own terms. After the captain had taken his vessel up and down the coast his difficulties were by no means ended. Upon his return here a number of the firemen engaged in New Zealand signed off, and before sailing for London on Tuesday last it was necessary for Captain Turton to engage three more men lo complete the ship's complement. It is alleged that the disengaged firemen in port, realising Captain Turton's difficulty, banded together and decided that whichever man was engaged he should not accept less than £50, or £1 a day for the voyage to London, in addition to his keep. The visiting shippers first knowledge of such an agreement having been arrived at was" when ho went lo engage the men. He found about a score of stokers awaiting him, and on asking each man whether lie would consent to be engaged he was met with a general demand of £50 for the voyage. Captain Turton and the agents were not inclined at first to entertain the proposal, but as the men held command of the situation, seeing thitt the steamer, which had a large and valuable cargo, couid not get away without them they were compelled to meet the men by offering them £45 each for the voyage. After considerable negotation this offer was accepted, and the steamer got away. The experience of the Clan Menzies, while it may be regarded as a surprising one, is stated not 'to be an exception, as £45 per man for the trip Home has had to be paid in quite a number of instances lately in other New Zealand ports, as well as in Auckland. As showing the serious dimensions to which the movements among firemen is growing another instance in connection with the Clan Menzies is related. It is asserted upon good authority that on .Monday last when one local fireman signed on at £10 a month his action was viewed with such disfavour by his fellows that be was severely mauled, and he informed the captain that he would not go aboard unless lie was placed under lock and key on the ship until it sailed. This the captain consented to do, and the fireman thus sawno more of Auckland. A DEFINITION WANTED.

"Whiit is the proper definition of coastwise shipping'" is a question that is at present agitating the minds of the local shipping world, and more particularly of the agents of the Scales line of Home-trading steamers. The question lias come into prominence over what appears to be the arbilratory action of the Marine Department in Wellington. It seems that the Clan Menzies, which left Auckland on Tuesday for London direct, picked up 47 dumps of tow at Wellington when on her way up the coast to Auckland, the destination of the consignment being London. Upon the arrival of the Clan .Menzies at Auckland it was found necessary in order to fake in the local cargo to transpose the tow, and it was duly landed on the wharf with tho object of stacking it on top of the local cargo. The Auckland consignments proved so numerous and bulky, however, that no space was left for the tow, and the local representatives of the company were obliged to ship it by the Wimmera to Sydney for transhipment to London. This had barely been done when the local superintendent of mercantile marine, acting upon instructions received from Wellington, waited upon the captain of the vessel, and informed him that having landed the tow here and transhipped it by the Wimmera he had placed his vessel under the New Zealand coastwise shipping laws, and would lrivo to pay his crew accordingly. As this meant the distribution of an extra £32 Is the captain demurred, but (he Marine Department proved adamant, and the money had to be paid before the vessel could proceed to sea. The agents, it is understood, have now sent in n stronglyworded protest to the Marine Department. It- is pointed out that ns the freights from Wellington to Sydney direct or via Auckland and from Auckland to Sydney are the same coastwise shipping by the carriage of the tow up the coast by the Clan Menzies did not suffer in the slightest but rather benefited, inasmuch as the Wimmera made as much on the consignment in taking it from Auckland to Sydney its she would have done from Wellington to Sydney.