ARBITRATION COURT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18556, 11 August 1922, Page 5

ARBITRATION COURT.

MARINE ENGINEERS’ DISPUTE. QUESTION OF OVERTIME. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 10. The. hearing of the marine engineers' dispute concluded before the Arbitration Court to-day after evidence had been called to support the Marine Engineers’ Institute. Mr W. J. Smith, who appeared on behalf of the Union Steamship Company, criticised briefly allegations by the union, and denied the statesmen! of Mr T. R. Wallace, secretary of the Institute, that the company had made phenomenal profits during the war. As a matter of fact, he said, they had paid no dividend last year, nor had there been any so far this year. There had been an increase in hours. The company could not agree to the demand that the chief engineers should be paid overtime. His Honour remarked that Sir John Monash had been opposed to overtime for chief engineers, but had granted a ten per cent, bonus. Mr Smith argued that Sir John, although a good soldier, was not experienced in marine engineering. The secretary of the Australian Engineers’ Institute had declared the marine engineers in Australia were better off now than ever before, and marine engineers in New Zealand were in even a better position. Unless running costs could be reduced more ships would have to be laid up. The Court announced an award would not be made until it had heard the other seafaring disputes.