THE INDRAVELLI'S CREW.

Otago Witness, Issue 2883, 23 June 1909, Page 74

THE INDRAVELLI'S CREW.

A LABOUR DIFFICULTY.

DISORDERLY SCENES

WELLINGTON, June 17.

Yesterday the crew of the steamer Indiavelli, which arrived here on Tuesday morning on the occasion of her last voyage between Canada and New Zealand, signed off the vessel. They had boen engaged come time ago at the colonial rate of pay, by which seamen receive £7 a month, but the vessel is now undc? orders to proceed to Newcastle and the East. In consequence, it is deemed that for wages purposes the vessel ie liable to pay at English rates, and Captain Pilcher (the master) offered the sean>en £4 10s a month (10s a month more than required by the English scale) to take the vessel to Singapore, and in addition the defraying of their pafisapre money by any reasonable route they desired back to New Zealand. Seeing that there are about 200 sailors out of work in Wellington at the present time, it was not surprising that a number intimated their willingness to join the ship on these terms. Mr W. T. Young, Wellington secretary of the Australian Federated Seamen's Union, however, considered that ilia men, if engaged, would l)«- made a convenience of until the Indravelli could pick up another crew in the East, and, it is understood, induced them to demand coastal rates of pay, a return passage, and the continuance of wages until the men. returned to Xcw Zealand.

Such, conditions wen© refused by Capta.in Pilcher, and a deadlock ensued. The vessel may nrobably be detained for a time in Wellington. This morning negotiations wore proceeding between Captain Pilcher, the secretary of the union, and a "number of tine nployed saikns. Captain Pilcher's endeavours to get men were made exceedingly difficult. A large body of men. some 200 in number, were round the Shipping Office to-day making demonctiations hostile to tlio*e who wt-ie willing to accept ths £4 10.- a month proposition. Some of the men eot ins-ide the office, and there was a fight. The police were ca.lled, and order wa<3 r-es-tored. but there was a good deal of talk. Mr Youmr was m-esent. A man who came out of the Sl'ippine Office was .-truck. Whetlipr he htid or bad not signed on was not made '^c-lear. but when ho had walked about five from the Shipping Office door he wns ft ruck a violent blow in the faco. Ho went down on the keib like a log, an-J wa« for a brief space uncon-crou.-. The yiolirp apparently did not, s-ee the blow struck, but they' went lo the victim's nssistanc?. His a^ailant did not walk away. but mingled with the onlookers. Captpin Pilcher interviewed the Minister of Marine (Hon. J. A. Millar). He left lhe Shipping OPke by a. back door lead ing into tin- main" Customs building. Quiet was T&s-torcd when the office biuinc?s wps suspended for lunch The police, however, remained on d'ltv, and the Shipping Office was kept locked up. In the meantime the ship is " ptuck up." and she costs £75 a day. She may be dplaved until a crew js obtained from Sydney on the pliid's terms. The Indvavelh wi'l discharge the crew at ' Singapore, and take on Asiatics, as she' is going into the Cl<ina-Japan trade. The ivan who was knocked down outside the offire was taken to ths Police SUtion. and charged with drunkenness. There are already several men on bomd the liruwelli -who will make the trip -with hrr. The closest walch Is kept on the *hip, and no one is

allowed to board her without satisfying the officers of his business. There was a demonstration this afternoon at the ship's side, but beyond loud talking nothing "was done.