THE MARINE ENGINEERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15706, 7 March 1913, Page 4

THE MARINE ENGINEERS.

The anticipation that tho dispute between the Union Steam Ship Company and the marine engineers in their service would be speedily settled once the representatives of the parties were brought together has fortunately been realised. Under the terms of the settlement the company lias, apparently at the instance of the Prime Minister, who presided at tho conference, concgded to the engineers all, or practically all, that they demanded. It was really inevitable that the settlement would be effected on these or similar lines. The question that was in issue was narrowed down to that of the recognition of an eight-hour day and of the payment for overtime. And the strong point, which may well be said to have been the irresistible point, in the engineers' claim was that in their demands upon this point they were seeking w.hat had already been conceded by the company to the seamen and firemen in its employment. It is. a fair contention that overtime can be regulated more closely in the case of seamen and firemen than in the case of engineers. And presumably it wa6 upon this ground that the company seems to have proposed something in the nature of n- commuted payment for overtime. How an arrangement of this kind would have operated in actual practice may be doubtful, but it was plainly not acceptable to the engineers and, in tho circumstances, the company showed wisdom in accepting the principle that the precedent which had been established in the case of employees in pcoitiens subordinate to thfise of the engineers should be applied in the present case. It is a matter for general congratulation that the differences between the parties have been adjusted without any dislocation of the shipping service of the dominion and upon terms that leave unimpaired the relations which have existed in the past between the Union Company and an important section of its employees of whose services .the value has been frequently demonstrated.

Our Wellington correspondent informs lis that the Hon. Mr Massey will probably follow up his policy speech at Chrstchureh 011 Tuesday evening by speeches at Oxford (North Canterbury) ar.d Waimate. He ex-, peeis to be absent from Wellington for a fortnight.

Tho Hon. A. L. Herdman, Minister o! Justice, 6peat a particularly busy time m Dunedin yesterday. In addition to attending' to departmental correspondence, i'e visited the prison in the morning, and, in company with Commissioner Cullen, inspected the Central Polico Station in the afternoon, and addressed the men of the Dunedin district on parade. He also visited tho suburban stations. This morning Mr Herdman, accompanied by hif private secretary (Mr E. N. G. Poulton), will leave Dunedin by the first express for Timaru, where he will remain until tho afternoon, going on to Christchurch by the second express. Tho Minister will pay a visit to the tree-planting works at Hanmer before returning to Wellington next week.

Professor W. Baldwin Spencer, (of Melbourne University) will give a lecture, illustrated by luinematograph films, lantern slides, and phonograph records of aboriginals on "Tho Northern Territory of Australia" in the Garrison on Wednesday, night. Professor Spencer's name and experience should bo a sufficient .guarantee as to the quality of the address, and as tho proceeds are to be devoted to the Karitane-llarris Hospital a large audience is anticipated. Mr J. H. Hosking, K. 0., will preside. The box plans will be opened at the Dresden this morning,

At the meeting of the Public Work 3 Committee of the City Council last evening tho city engineer submitted a pian showing how the Caversham quarry reserve could bo cut up into allotments. After consideration tho committee, decided' 1o make a personal inspection of tho property. ,

In connection with the Senior Cadet Prize Fund, the Mayoress (Mrs J. Wilson) advises us that tho fund will be closed .oil Saturday, 15th inst. It is requested that all subscription lists be handed in on or before that date so that the position of the fund can bo ascertained.

Yesterday's meeting of the Ocean Beach Domain Board was the final one beforo the annual election. The chairman (Mr J. H. Hancock), Mr J. B. Shacklock, and Mr J. H. F, Hamel are the retiring members. Mr Ilamel referred to the close and earnest attention given to tho work of tho board by Mr Hancock in his position as chairman, and-ho hoped that he would not only bo returned as a member of the board, but would again act is its chairman. On his motion a resolution of appreciation was unanimously carried.

A meeting of tho Catlira-Tahakopa Railway League was held yesterday afternoon, Mr W, F. Edmond in tho chair. Tho lion, secretary (Mr J. B. Waters) reported that when a visit was paid to tho district i;eecnlly it was found that the number of men on the works had been rcduccd considerably. It was a question whether there were more than 125 employed. Messrs D. M. Fea and tho secretary were authorised to wait on tho Public Works Department, and, if necessary thereafter/ to write to the Minister of Public Works urging that the working forco bo increased while the fine weather lasts. Tho : hon. secretary also reported that tho recent trip of members to the d'etrict had proved very satisfactory. The visitors were very well received throughout tho district, and the usual hospitality was displayed towards them by, tho residents. There was ovory prospect of tho lino being finished to tho present terminus in 12 months' timo.

The Forestry Commission is expected to bold its first sitting in Dunedin. in the Crown Lands Office on Tuesday.

Mr Cullen (Commissioner of Police), who has been in Dunedin Jor a couple of days, will proceed north this morning, on routo to Wellington.

The secretary of tho Drivers' Union has prepared a report of a somewhat doleful order for presentation at a meeting of that body to-night. Ho bewails an undoubted slackening off of interest in the affairs of the union, and this he attributes to the members having been "lulled to file^ep" by tho terms of tho last award. But ho solemnly informs them that "the .employers, have been busy, very busy, through their national organisation," and " have, with, the help of tho Government, composed of members of the employers' unions, been able to threaten tho very foundations of the workers' unions, and will, if allowed to continue in power, render it impossible for your unions in their present form, to do other than accept tho employers' terms in any future dispute." After a reference that does credit to his powers of imagination to tho effect of a policy of immigration, the secretary continues: "Remember, tho employers own your job, and have tho power at present to givo you a starve! Are you prepared to remain asleep and allow tho lives of yourselves and your dependents to be crushed out under the heel of the Employers' Associations? If not, you will assist us to create a national organisation strong enough to crush Massey; you will take a keener interest in your union; you will bo euro to attend the meetings, and you will not anchor us by hanging on to your sixpence a week, and you. read and study the reading matter that will be sent to you, dealing with the proposed method of dealing- with Massey."

The movement in favour of the introduction of labour that will admit of the more effectivo cultivation of the soil of the dominion, that will enable the manufacturing industries to increase their output, and that will provide domestic assistance to worn-out housewives is misrepresented in tho following terms in the monthly report of the secretary of the Drivers' Union in this city: "The employers. through thoir Expansion Leagues, Immigration. Bureaus, ctc., and with the assistanco of thoir Government in pbwer, are flooding tho country with imported labour—it is the declared policy of Massey. to import 25,C00 workers per year—so that when yon need a job you will find five or six others competing with you, with the rc-sult that you will be starved into submitting to tho employers' terms if you get a place at all. What does this mean to your wife but to carry a burden o£-anxiety and misery? What'does this mean to your children but a dragging away from school at too early an age, and driving them into some factory to toil under sweated conditions of employment to make up for what you won't be able to earn?" Apparently it is assumed that the members of the Drivers' Union forget the existence of an arbitration law to secure for them fnir conditions of employment, although they have themselves been "lulled to sleep" by the terms of a recent award, and that they believe sweated conditions of' employment to bo general in the factories in Now Zealand. And if this country is being flooded with labour the members of the union have probably seen with their own eyes tho streams of unemployed in the Gtreets!

Mr D.. J. Eva/is, hon. secretary of the Westland tioldfield Jubilfre, which is to bo celebrated at Hokitika on January 7, 3, and 9, 1914, with days following at, Ross and Kumara, writes to lie to say that the Celebration Committee is anxious to compile a list of pioneers who wero on the West Coast any timo in the sixties, and that, if those concerned mil communicatctheir names and addreises to him at Hokitika, the committee will get into touch with them, and advise them of the arrangements that are being made for the celebration of the jubilee, and of the facilities to reach the West Coast ajid participate in the several functions which are to be organised.

A cablegram. was received by the Union Company yesterday afternoon from the London office, stating that the Niagara, a new vessel of 13,500 tons, which has jusl been built for the' Vancouver service, rai' her trial trips at Glasgow on Wednesday. Tho results were of an eminently satisfactory nature. With 5500 tons dead weight on «board tho vessel averaged a speed ot 'nearly 18 knots per hour, whilo her progressive trials indicated that the contract requirements were largely exceeded. The Niagara will make her first trip from Sydney {or Vancouver on May 5.

At more or less irregular intervals the. much-vexed question of motor traffic itraised at the Portobello Road Board meet ings. A vigorous minority is always readyto argue in favour of throwing open the Bcach rood to motor iraflio on the pica that the district should move with the times. A working majority, -however, has consistently opposed the presence of motor vehicles on the road, but four years ago the embargo was removed from tho road as far as Waverley. Objection was taken yesterday by a member to a motor cyclist who is in the habit of riding on the road, whereupon tho old arguments and recriminations were adduced, and members of the lower subdivisions expressed objection to any portion of tho road being used by motorists under any oircumstances, and one member moved that the police be'instructed to prosecute every offender found on the road between' Anderson's Bay and Portobello, but the chairman pointed out that such, action could not be taken, uritil a resolution referred to had been rescindeij. Tho discussion closed without any definite action being agreed upon, this being due probably to the fact that a new board : s to be elected shortly. • At present tho majority of members aro strongly opposed to the presence of motor vehicles on tho road, and claim to have the support of tho bulk of ihe residents.

A meeting of the Trades ond Labour Council was held in the Trades Hall last ■ evening, Mr 11. M? Allen presiding. A discussion took place regarding the advisability of tlio Government adhering to fair wages for firms receiving Government contracts,- and it was decided to urge the Government to adopt the principle. The council also agreed to call a meeting of contributing unions to elect a manager on the Technical School Board. It was resolved to secure the representation of tho council on tho Dunedin United Temper-, anee' Reform Council, and Messrs W. 11. Henry, J. Hale, and Silverstonc were appointed delegates. The following resolution was carried:—"That this council enters its emphaffo protest against the unfair discrimination against tho Socialist party shown by his Worship the Mayor, Crs Shacklock, J. S. Sinclair, Duncan, Hajicock, Todd, Green, Hurray, Al'Milian, Washer, lilack, Hcmlorson, A. Sinclair, Wraight, , Jlasterton, Matheson, Hooper, Megget, and Ilayward in voting down the ■party's application for permission to give a lecture on astronomy (illustrated by lantern slides) on Sunday evening, and points out tho inconsistency of those counoillors who voted down tho Socialist party's application, while at the samo meeting they voted permission to tho local picture theatre proprietors to hold picture shows on Good Friday.

A Press Association telegram from Wellington states that in a reserved judgment yesterday tho Arbitration Court ruled that where a new award in a pa.rticu!ar trade did not rofor to existing agreements or contracts in regard to tho employment of apprentices, such contracts having been entered into under a previous award, they must bo doemed io remain unaffectod, and ■would continue for the term agreed upon a* under tho old award.

A case presenting unusual features came before ill- Cruickshank, S.M., in Invercargill yesterday (says a Press' Association telegram). Fred It. Bowden was sued by the police for the maintenance of a child named Cyril Bowden, now in tho Industrial School. It appears that Bowden marrie<! a woman who had had an illegitimate daughter, who is now 23 years, of ago. This girl, in turn, had an illegitimate child, for whoso maintenance Bowden waa be;ng sued. The Magistrate said that under one part of tho Destitute Persons Act tho defendant was the parent of Cyril Bowden's mother. If he had been tho father cf Cyril Bowden's mother ho would hare been liable, but it did not follow that because he was tho parent he was also tho .father. Tho Act could not bo extended to include the illegitimate children of hia wife's illegitimate children. The complaint was therefore dismissed.

Representatives from the Maori Hill, Mornington. and Green Island Borough Councils, the Taieri County Council, and tho firms interested, which contributed towards the cost of drawing up the plans in connection with tho proposed Kaikorai Valley Drainage are being asked to meet the Drainago Board engineer (Jlr Slinger) at tho board's offices next Tuesday week, when he will fully explain tho details of tho plan, etc.

An old resident of Portobello, who haß made a study of the question of harbour reclamation, propounded to a Daily' Times reporter yesterday a scheme which he considered merited tho careful consideration of the Ota£o Harbour Board. His idea, which to his knowledge has never' been brought forward before, was ithe construction of a mole from Gravesend Point out across the sand banks towards the powder magazine, and from thero round to tho edge of the channel at Quarantine Island. The molo would enclose a big area of shallow water lying off the Lower Portobello Bay, in which might be deposited the spoil from tho harbour dredges, which is now being conveyed, at considerablo expense, some distance outsido tho Heads. The average depth at high tide from Gravesend to the powder magazine is about 4ft, and at low tide the sandbank is quite exposed. It would bo an easy matter to convey all tho etono for the construction of tho mole by punt from the quarry at the Heads, and deposit it whero required at high tide. Tho mole would have the offcct of'confining the ebb and flow current to tho main channel between Quarantine Island and the Heads, and thus incrcaso the scour. Tho molo would also prevent the washing away of hundreds of thousands of tons of sand from Gravesend Point From 10 to 15 chains had been carried away during tho last 20 years. Somo of this sand drifted down and tended to narrow' the channel near ihe mouth of tho harbour, and part of it wa6 blown over the hill at the Kaik down to tho ocean, \ whence the northerly current carried it Vound to 'a point just off tho Taiaroa, lighthouse, where a sandbank was now in process of formation. The mole could. bo constructed very cheaply, and would, 1 ho thought; be the means of effecting a big reduction in the yearly expenditure on harbour maintenance. ,

Tho South Australian Commissioner o! Crown Lands states that tho Government will do its best to introduce an adequate number of capable domestic servants into South Australia. Already 300 girls have been brought out, and 290 are booked to leave England during the current year. The Commissioner and Mr Field (immigration ofei') have gone to Melbourno to •confer with the Victorian immigration authorities. In the City Police Court yesterday morning, before Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., Robert Henry Fraser applied for an order against Charks Frassr for the maintenance of a brother. He also asked for a reduction of his own order of 7s 6d per week. Mr Scurr appeared for the complainant and Mr Hanlon for the defendant. After hearing =* portion of the evidence h« Worship adjourned both cases till W edm * day in order to enable tho applet -o prepare a statement of .his affairs.

According to a London cablegram appearing in the Sydney Sun, a report issued ■ n connection with tho working of ho Rhodes Scholarships shows that a lar 0 proportion. of tho students go into <educational and legal careers, white the remainder take y'P diplomacy, religion, commerce, mining, engineering, journalism, agriculture, and forestry in that order, lhe Australian students exhibit a P re^"" c . e for the medical science, and on theattjletio side of university life are particularly prominent at football and cricket. •

Up till a month or two ago absoluto freetrads prevailed in tho New Hebrides. The French sailors wero able to buy their absinthe and tho British their whisky and gin for two or three shillings a bottle, whilo tho price of cut tobacco ranged from 2s to 2s 6d per lb, and of common twist, such as is smoked by natives, Is 2d to ?.s 3d per lb. The introduction of a customs tariff to raiso. revenue has not, according to Mr Manning, a visitor to Auckland from tho New Hebrides, given satisfaction to' the settlers in the group. Ho states (says the New Zealand Herald) that tho collcction of duties will be exceedingly difficult, for the reason that tho islands aro so scattered and have so many ports, with practically no control outside Vila, the capital of the islands. There was bound to be a great deal of smuggling.

The treasurer of the Turvey Relief Fund reports having received the following contributions E. Cameron"; £1 Is; Binghani and Co. and employees, £1 lis; Wardell Bros, and employees, £2 ,ss; Harbour Board office staff, 15s; R. T. and E. F„ ss} J. C. Seolye's employees, £1 0s 6d; Captain C'oolc Hotel, ss; Dunedin tramway employees, £1 ss; Sargood's Boot Factory employees, £1; Ansell and Co.'s employees, 12?; Railway Stationmaster's office, 17s 6d; John Mill and po.'s employees, £3 6s; Railway Shunting Yard employees, 14s; Directors Hallenstein Bros, and employees, £7 6s; Wm. Noes and Sons, £1 le; Wm. Nces and Sons' employees, £1 0s 6d; employees Anderson's Bay quarries, £3 5s 6d; J. and J. Arthur and employees, £3 12s; Hillside Workshops employees, £<1 16s; Gridiron Hotel list, £2 13s 6d; Armit and Co., 4s; Caledonian Hotel list, 16s; Southern Hotel list, 18s 6d; European Hotel list, £2 2s 6d; Reilly, Gill, and Co., £1 Is;—total, £43 13s 6d,

A lady visitor frcm . England, with militant views, caused a flutter at tho meeting of tho Women's Political Reform League at Auckland'on Friday afternoon. " What good is this league doing 60 far ai tho wcll-boing of New Zealand women is concerned," sho demanded. " I can hear of no cases in which the women of the dominion are concerning themselves in local government. Have you such ,i, thing as a woman canitary inspector in New Zealand? Is ihcro a woman on a 6:nglo hospital or education board?" sho asked, and after commenting on tho fact that no woman graced tho Auckland City Council, the visitor went on to express the opinion that New Zealand women, who wero regarded by their English sisters as being bo lucky, ncglcctod their opportunities. A little later diecussion grew warm over a paragraph in the president's report relative to tho methods being adopted by the suffragettes at Home, some difference of opinion being expressed as io tho propriety of tho executive embodying in its report tho personal criticism of other women's leagues. Tho clauso ran-as-follows:—"As to the women who arc fighting for the voto in England, we can eurcly believe that thoso who are r.fc the head of affairs are quite. capable of deciding the'-advisability of gßuiting Buch a coucession or otherwise, so wo can. simply express our regret that there are thoso of our sex who havo forgotten their womanhood and their duty ae British subjects."

The Arbitration Court has (says the Lyttefton Times) awarded £1 a week to James Albert Morrissey, 16 years of age, of Emaru, who made a claim against his employers, Patrick Downey and John M'Donald, livery stable keepers. The plaintiff wss employed as a stable boy, and it was part of his duties to sleep upstairs in the stable at night. Oir.Fcbfuary 22, ho closed the etablo between 9 and 10 p.m., and ■went'to bed. At 2 a.m. he woke up, and fancied: ho heard a knocking noise in the stable. Ho got up to ascertain the cause, and while leaning- over the railing ho fell to the floor of tho citable," sustaining a fractured dislocation of tho Bpine which resulted in complcto paralysis and ptsrraanent incapacitation. The court held that the accident arose out of his employment, especially as tho defendant Downey had been away, and was exp hack that night. By section 9 of the Act, tho plaintiff's earnings were to be deemed not less than £2 per week, and he was entitled to half thai amount. Judgment was at that rate during the period of his incapacity, -with £10 10s costs and witnesses' expenses.

Sister Ernestine' writes to us from St. Mary's Orphanage, tendering grateful acknowledgments for the following gifts:— Case of jam, from Oamaru; caso of apples, from Mosgiel; bag af oatmeal, from Mrs Mackerras; carpet squares, pictures, fruit, and flowers, from Mrs Ritchie; cake and flowers, from Mrs Islip, Misses Allen, and Rutherford. She will be glad of some warm cloth for 6chool classes for the orphans; and flowers aro always most wclcome. Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co. intend to givo a demonstration at their premises in High street this afternoon of a new method of fruit and vegetable canning which the firm is introducing into tho market. It is hoped that those interested in tho fruit industry will make a point of being present, as it is considered that the system is going to be of great value to fruit growers generally, aind also the housewives for ordinary household use.

England's best motor cycles: First winter trial in 1913, Bournemouth M.C.C.. Class J—Triumphs, B.S.A.'s, and Douglas's only secured awards.—Wilson, Bond St.—Advt. .

H. Gunthorp, resident dentist, Balcluthi, visits Milton, Kaitangata, and Owaka. Tele phone 54-.—Advt.

For good, hard wear wo recommend the famous "Admiralty" serge. It is a pure indigo dye, 54 inches wide, at 2s lid per yard, procurable at Mollisons Limited.— Advt

Something New.—You \tq euro to find it in our stock. The designs are invariably different from what yon see elsewhere, and the quality and prices are right.—G. and T. ,Young (Ltd.), jewellers, 88 Princes st.—Advt A. E. J. Blakeley, dentist, Bank of Australasia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office). Telephone 1859.— Advt. ' Stoutness and obesity' permanently cured by a oourse of Dr Cathell's Tablet treatment.—Sold by Wilkinson and Son, chemists. —Advt. In 6ummer, *when one is lightly clad, sudden changes of weather aro apt to indues nasty colds, sore throats, and irritating coughs. "Benjamin Gum," the simple, pleasant _ remedy, relievos immediately; cures quickly. Is 6d bottle.—Advt. Who is Peter .Dick?— The most reliable Watchmaker. Jeweller, and Certificated-Con-sulting Optician. 490 Moray plaoe (off Princes 6t), Diwcdin. Charges moderate.—Advt.