MARAMA DECLARED BLACK

Taranaki Daily News, 20 February 1932, Page 5

MARAMA DECLARED BLACK

NOT SAILING UNTIL TO-DAY.

ONE POSITION NOT FILLED.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night.

Owing to unemployed seamen in Auckland declaring the Union Company’s passenger steamer Marama black, the vessel was unable to sail for Sydney this afternoon, and her departure was postponed until to-morrow morning. At sailing time there were 170 passengers on the Marama, which carries mail and cargo. An extraordinary feature is that although there are hundreds of seamen unemployed in Auckland, none was allowed to fill the vacancy on the vessel, and this caused the postponement of her departure. The trouble arose because the men were not allowed to board the Marama to apply for position of “Peggy,” or firemen’s steward. Fifty applicants were not allowed aboard by the police, who did not know their purpose. This was resented by the men, who decided that the position was not to bee filled till to-morrow. The crew were not concerned, but the vessel could not sail without “Peggy.”