The Hawaiian gazette., 1913-01-28


: by the course pursued by him prior 10
the recent issue between M.
at Ia n matter Of sincere regret 10
ms that Mr.. Kennedy should initiatc
such policy, NJ this harbor desires
TO have harmonious relations with
your company. u Is not our intention,
nor has Il ever been, 60 offer protee.
tion or support TO any Of its members
as against any action Of your com.
pany, founded on Just CAUSE. but IL
may as well be understood now that
this hRrbor win not fail TO use its
every resource to protect It's members
from the slightest oppression, or any
unjust discrimination.
Aims Misunderstood.
awe believe that the aims and OBJ.
iects Of this association have not been
understood by you in the past, and
that you have formed an erroneous
impression of the same, based upon in
formation furnished you by untrust-
worthy persons.
"0ur records will show that our
best efforts, and even our funds, have
been used in behalf of the shipping in
terests of this Territory, and we be-
lieve that your company has been tho
greatest beneficiary thereof We
would call your attention to the fact
that every aid to navigation that has
been accomplished in this Territory
since annexation is due to the sueges.
tions which .emanated from this asso-
citation. Many things of the utmost
Importance to your company, such as
new surveys. new charts, improve
ments to harbors and exemptions of
rules of the inspection service, that
were deemed detrimental to the work
ing of your vessels, have been OBJ
tanned through our efforts, without
one cent of expense to your company.
We have the proof of this statement
in our files. Our record has never
been excelled by any harbor in the
United States, for we enjoy the
unique position of having been sue
cessful with every petition presented
by us.
Former Hard Conditions.
"In regard to our relations with your
company we feel that it is necessary
to proper understanding between us
that reference be made to past condi-
tions.
fThe conditions existing previous to
our organization, and for some time
thereafter, were very hard indeed
Wages were being paid by your com.
pany as follows: Captains, 500, 1925,
$3.50 per month"; mates, sos, $75 per
month; second mates, $40, $45 per
month. The hours of duty were most
unreasonable, being, in many cases,
from is to % hours out of "a, without
any pay for overtime. Many of the
present masters were mates during
that period and they have worked
faithfully through the best years of
their lives, and feel that it is due, in
a large part, to the Jealous and eff.
cient performance of their duty that
your company has attained it's present
condition of opulence and its magni.
tude.
1.-The services rendered by our mem
bers to your company have never been
recognized by Mr.. Kennedy, for only
once during his incumbency has he
/ voluntarily raised the pay of the men,
the occasion being about three years
ago, when this harbor found it neces-
sary to demand the masters vacation.
He then raised the pay of the mates
! So per month. In this connection we
may observe that the vacation referred
to had been in vogue for number of
years, but had been cut off by Mr.. Ken
nedy, thus forcing us into fight to
reclaim that which he had taken from
us, and which was, implicitly, at least,
part of our contract of employment.
Unexcelled Ability.
"The record of our men for ability
and efficiency is not excelled anywhere.
The peculiar conditions existing in
these waters, the nature of the land.
iDgs, and the work performed require
high degree of skill and watchful.
ness: and never in the history of
steamboating in these waters has life
been lost at sea, and only upon few
occasions have any serious accidents
happened Mt our most dangerous land
| ings, and then, such accidents were
| caused by boatmen, and not by any of
your licensed officers.
although fully understanding the
power we might WELD, we have never
in our history abused it, or tried to use
it in any manner, except during the
recent trouble, when we were compell-
ed in self-defense to resort to all of
our power and resources to secure what
we conceived to be our just rights.
"D Sbobt ~ ING OuIbcL Vi
the recent trouble between us, it was
not the intention OF this harbor to in
troduce new wage schedule, as our
minutes will show that We advocated
n new schedule to take effect the first
of next year, and that we intended to
give yonr company ample notice there
of, and invite it to send US suggestions
with respect thereto.
A Fair Purpose.
at is our purpose to be fair with
you, at all times, but we feel, and do
not hesitate to say TO you, that it will
be constant source of friction, and
danger to our members, and will still
further intensity the bitter feeling un-
necessarily created in the past by Mr..
Kennedy, if he Tor Mr.. Sheedy) persists
in prescribing or attempting to discri-
inmate unfairly against any of them.
fMr. Sheedy is a new man in your
employment with but slight acquaint-
ance with the masters and mates, and
his repeated remark, made in spirit
of vainglory, that he will fire this or
that man, as it may please his whims
or caprices, can only serve to relSindle
a smouldering fire and make 1t neees.