WATERSIDE LABOUR.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLI, Issue 9393, 15 December 1920, Page 5

WATERSIDE LABOUR.

PAYMENT BY RESULTS

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Dec. 14

The Industrial Association to-night decided to ask the Harbour Board to call a conference of those interested to'discuss the proposed change in the control of waterside work. The chairman said that whatever was done on the waterfront was bound to affect other, industries. The high rates of pay on the wharves, where men could work'without any apprenticeship, had proved embarrassing to trades employing skilled men. The unskilled unions were responsible for nearly all the industrial-unrest in New Zealand, and his own belief was that the remedy for many of the existing troubles was to force all unions- into the. Arbitration Court. The inter-rela-tion of various trades could not be disregarded, and the Court ought to be placed in a position to survey the whole field of industry.;

A member said it was not correct to suggest that the public would not be represented in the arrangements between the shipping companies, and the waterside workers.- The Harbour Board, which was popularly elected, controlled the wharves. A special feature of the new scheme of employment was payment by results, .and the Association ought to support any change in this direction. The present system of workin? m the wharves wa.s not satisfactory, and the remedy iras either to provide permanent employment or to pay by results.