ARAB FIREMEN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20706, 2 May 1929, Page 9

ARAB FIREMEN.

. STEAMER HELD UP. " ALLEGATION OP OVERWORK. (Special to Daily Times.}, AUCKLAND, May 1. Arne Arab firemen on the Ham Lina steamer Tregenna left the vessel at Auckland this morning' because the captain ■ refused to employ an extra two mca in the stokehold. The vessel was about to sail for New Plymouth, but owing to the men s action she .was taken to an anchorage in the stream instead: The absence of the stokers was reported to the wharf police, who apprehended three of the men near . the waterfront and put them on board the steamer shortly before midday. The other six absentees could not be found, so warrants were taken out for ; their arrest. To-night the whereabouts of the missing men had not been located, so the vessel is still delayed. The Tregenna reached Auckland from ■ Nauru Island late on Sunday night with a full cargo of phosphates. She unloaded 2075 tons at the King’s wharf,-and is to discharge the remainder at New Plymouth and Wanganui, She sailed from England last October, and after a voyage to the East she has revisited Auckland on three occasions since.. In January she brought general cargo from Halifax, and in March she unloaded phosphates at this port from Makatea. The total stokehold staff consists of ten men. They : contend that the work at sea is too hard, and that two more men should be etn- ' ployed. The dispute was referred to the Marine Department, but the local Superintendent of Mercantile Marine will not interfere ]n the matter, because tho steamer is fully manned according to the - Board of Trade scale. The men’s action in deserting is a costly way of protesting, because they are liable to have to pay all the costs in connection with their apprehension out of any wages they have due to them. In the meantime it is not* certain when the steamer will be able to sail.