SHORTAGE OF SAILORS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12067, 24 July 1917, Page 6

SHORTAGE OF SAILORS.

JSFFKCT IX NEW ZEALAND. RANKS OK SHIPS' OFFICERS DEPLETED. Local shipmasters, says the Auckland "Star," are prompted by the acute position in which they and shipowners arc placed, to protest against tho continued rail upon their numbers to rill places ip tho ordinary forces, a.nd they seek to make clear their standing compared with the ruling conditions in Great Britain. In an interview Mr T. Henderson, secretary of the Shipowners' Federation, pointed out that at the present time, owners of coastal vessels are engaged in trades of small return under increasingly hard conditions. Their ships are in many cases the. only communication with large productive; areas, and they assert that if tho ranksof the coastal masters and officers are further depleted, it will be found necessary to withdraw many of the craft now in use. The ballots have called up numbers of masters who were previously retained by owners as much in tho interest of the country as in their own. The want of shipmasters is not confined to X< w Zealand, but is general throughout the Empire, though Great Britain and other of her dominions have introduced various legislations to meet the situation. His Majesty has issued an order impressing upon the people, tire urgency of maintaining nl branches of the mercantile marine, and utilising available tonnage to the utmost There is nothing to be gamed, vl< is asserted, by placing local shipmasters as privates in the forces, for directly they reach England they are taken from the drafts and placed on the steamers trading from Great Britain. The purpose of the Dominion authon- , i! s i have them as soldiers is thus <lcpat,Ml< Jin ,i the shipping of Britain gains efficient nien The Biitiil Board of Trade early realised the ex rem ■ necessity of leaving trained mar - erTiu their'positions, and published a o e, declaring that officers nnd "amen of the mercantile marine. wco entitled to exemption from n" l,lo '> service. The order states: "The efficient maintenance of the mercantile marine is of vital national importance and masters, officers and seamen should remain with their ships, and should not' leave tho merchant service to join the armv." Loral shipmasters and owners unre the introduction of similar conditions to those in force in Great Britain so that' the coastal and intercolonial shipping can be carried on with the greatest economy of men and ships. At the conclusion of his remarks Mr Henderson said: "There is no doubt that the increasing scarcity of officers and men is seriously affecting the maritime trade of the Dominion, and it is deemed essential that the Government ■should not only refrain from conscripting certificated and ordinary seamen, hut should also relax many of the conditions of the Shipping and Seamen's Act, which tinder existing circumstances tend to prejudice the maintenance of the sea communications, which are vital to the interests of the Dominion."