NO DIFFICULTY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 June 1942, Page 3

NO DIFFICULTY

IN MANNING MERCHANT SHIPS IN NEW ZEALAND SEAMEN SIGNING ON AGAIN IMMEDIATELY. EVEN AFTER LONG & DANGEROUS VOYAGES. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Commenting on a cablegram received from Canberra yesterday, which stated that difficulty was being experienced in finding full crews for ships in Australian ports, Mr F. P. Walsh, national president of the New Zealand Seamen’s Union, said that though the Australian Maritime Industry Commission used the term “Australasia,” it had no jurisdiction over ships on New Zealand articles. “I am pleased to say,” continued Mr Walsh, “that in New Zealand we have, not experienced the difficulties referred to by the commission in Australia over supplying crews for ships. No praise could be too high for the services rendered to this Dominion by its seamen, which include masters, officers, engineers, sailors, firemen and cooks and stewards. “The spirit of these men is shown by the fact that since the outbreak of war there has been no hold-up or delay in the shipping industry. This record I believe to be unequalled in any Allied country. We have therefore not found it necessary to _ set up a marine industry commission in this country. Even after long and dangerous voyages the men never fail to sign on again immediately and this reflects the good relations existing in the shipping industry here. The manning of ships is a service of paramount importance in times like these, and it is going like clockwork.”