STOKEHOLD DISPUTE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18380, 19 October 1921, Page 5

STOKEHOLD DISPUTE

MARAROA’S COMPLEMENT. (Peb United Press Association.) . WELLINGTON, October 18. A dispute arose to-day concerning the stokehold complement on the ferry steamer Mararoa, The articles were to have been renewed this morning until the dispute is adjusted, but the men have declined to sign on. According to Mr W. T. Young, secretary of the Seamen's Federation, one portion of the Act provides for three greasers, 10 firemen, and six trimmers. In another part it was stated that the complement provided for nine firemen only. The federation is asldng that instead of nine the number should be 10, and the company has declined to accede to the request. Mr Young states that the tenth fireman usually acts as' storeman, and the company now desires to take him out of the ship. It is a minor dispute, and concerns the men who signed on the Mararoa at Auckland, while the vessel was on the Auckland-Gisborne-Napier run. According to Mr Young, the company contends that those men who sign on the fresh articles in Wellington lose their right of a free passage back to Auckland. Tins, he says, is not in accordance with the spirit of the agreement between the federation and the company. The Union Company has referred the dispute to the head office in Dunedin. It is not known whether the dispute will be settled in time to allow the vessel to sail for Lyttelton as usual to-night. The matter is not regarded by local officials as very serious. CREW SIGNS ON. WELLINGTON, October 18. In the dispute regarding the manning of the Mararoa the Union Company insisted that the vessel had carried one man over the regulation scale, who was dispensed with. The crew eventually signed on. Last night the head office of the Union Company advised that the Mararoa would get away all right,