The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-11-29
HOW INTER-ISLAND
SHIPPERS COT AN
INCREASE OF PAY
Honolulu, T. H., Nov. %, 1907.


Editor Advertiser: In the absence
of the captains and officers of the Inter
Island steamers and in justice to them
/ trust you will grant the space IL
your valuable columns, whereby the
erroneous statement which appeared II
this morning s issue of your paper, may
be reetifed and the captains and Off
GERS of the island steamers may be
placed in the right light, in the eyes
of this community and the travelling
public.
The statement referred to, appeared
in the article headed Statement by
the Engineers The statement fThat
a threatening demand for an increase
of wages had beeA made by the cap
tains of the IL S. n. Co., is GER
tainly misleading and totally ineor-
rect.
1t is true that some twelve months
ago, the captains and officers of the
island steamers received an increase in
salaries This increase was not through
any threatening demand, or based on
any increased cost of living, but on the
promise of the former president of the
Inter-Island Steam Navigation Co., Mr..
John Ena, circumstances of which were
as follows:
/ About the time of annexation, sthe
officers in the deck department of the
Inter-Island Company, had applied to
Mr.. Ena for an increase in salaries.
Mr.. Ena explained to them the enor-
nous expense the company had been
put to in order to comply with the
United States Inspection laws, and as
the salaries of first and second officers
had recently been raised, the company
could not afford to further increase
salaries at that time, but he would
promise that the interests of the cap
tains would be looked after in the near
future.
In the meantime, Mr.. James A. Ken
nedy, succeeded Mr.. Ena as president
of the company and was not aware of
the promise which had been made to
the captains of the conipany's steam
ers. This was the cause of some little
misunderstanding, but was very speedi-
ly rectifed when the facts became
known TO Mr.. Kennedy. The captains
and officers gave Mr.. Kennedy an idea
of what they considered would be
fair schedule of wages, viz:
Vessels of 500 tons gross and over,
the salary for master TO be $500 per
month and vessels under 500 tons gross,
the salary for master to be $175 per
month. Salaries for mates to remain
at $50 with the exception of those yes
seS which had been paying 800 was
proposed to remain at that figure
Mr.. Kennedy requested that a con
ference be entered into between Com
mittee of Honolulu Harbor No. "a and
a committee of his company, which was
readily granted and upon being shown
that the company was not in a posi-
tion to increase salaries, in accordance
with the views of the captains and
officers, through reductions of freight
rates, etc, compromise was immedi-
ately effected and is now being paid
as per schedule quoted by the engineers
IN this morning paper. The increased
allowance for board, etc., was given
voluntarily by the company.
Upon the above statements of facts,
| fail to see where the engineers are
justified in making such erroneous
statements or where the captains are
IN any way responsible for the present
pilikia.
As this is a matter that will no doubt
ne taken up by the captains and Off
GERS at their next meeting, / will not
attempt to comment further on the
subject
thanking you in advance Mr.. Editor.
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